Comment 120644

By kevlahan (registered) | Posted January 31, 2017 at 12:32:44

Whitehead's comment about a "train to nowhere" and similar comments about a train "from nowhere to nowhere" are troubling and ignorant for many reasons, beyond being insulting to those who live or work near the proposed east end terminus. And he has repeated this "train to nowhere" comment over and over.

First, transit lines very commonly terminate somewhere other than a dense urban core or attraction. Indeed, this is usually the case since the terminus is often a maintenance yard, or at the edge of the city. A rapid transit line is not like a high speed train between major city centres. Its usefulness is about getting around in the city, not travelling from one end to the other. It would make more sense to continue to Eastgate, but the line we have now is not "nowhere".

Also, it suggests that there is nothing interesting or worthwhile along the entire line, since the focus is entirely on the end point. As others have pointed out, there is no other straight route in Hamilton that could take in such a big population and range of employment and other attractions: McMaster (about 40,000 students and staff), McMaster Innovation Park, Westdale, Westdale High School, Downtown (25,000 jobs around 37,000 residents in ward 2), Art Gallery, City Hall, Jackson Square, Hamilton Place, Convention Centre, Hunter Street Go Station, Gage Park, stadium, Ottawa Street, etc, etc.

Finally, it really sends the message that Hamilton itself is "nowhere" and not worthy of a billion dollar infrastructure investment, which seems to be the underlying feeling of many anti-LRT people.

Comment edited by kevlahan on 2017-01-31 12:46:54

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