Raise the Hammer

North American cities have a much different build than most European cities. For centuries we have had much more land available so price has historically been much lower. Most people regardless of nationality would prefer to have a single family home with a backyard etc. That has always been much more obtainable here than there and continues so to this day. This has resulted in much lower densities here than there. Where we have a sea of single family homes they have a sea of 3 to 6 story buildings. All built in very close proximity to each other.

That kind of living is not the first choice of many people. Many live that lifestyle because they have no choice desperately trying to afford that "dream home."

I am not anti transit. I am aware of the problems and believe we should address them not spend hundreds of millions of dollars and then say "oops why didn't I think of that"

The B-Line (not Blue Line) is very busy, as are most of our bus routes for about 5 hours a day. Transit runs for what 18 or 19 hours a day. Have you looked at a King or Barton bus at 10 P.M? I have seen them running totally empty. That is one of the biggest hurdles with transit how do we afford enough vehicles and drivers for those two busy hours in the morning and two more in the afternoon? Then what do we do the rest of the time.

A lot of the LRT projects you are so fond of are very similar to the Go Trains for people commuting to Toronto. I do not see a need for that in Hamilton. A lot of the other Trams and similar are quite small not an 18 KM monstrosity.

Calgary is the only place in North America with a population of under one million to have LRT. (please do not try telling me ST. Louis is smaller than Hamilton) They are building the ninth phase and that will bring them up to 44 KM. Again Calgary is the major city in the district and has a downtown that employs thousands. A far cry from Hamilton.