Raise the Hammer

Hey Folks

Thankfully I've been too busy at a property inspection at a building in the core that my partner and I are considering as our first home to witness this splendid conversation as it happened. Some higlights and some real low points from my perspective.

I think what is needed here is a little breather. We're all DEMANDING things out of our City and city, politicians and core, community and businesses, and making wild assumptions about each others desires and actions. This is dangerous stuff. Why? Because it creates a divided community with polarized priorities oftentimes based on false statements and assumptions. Dangerous stuff.

I'm glad to see people expressing what they want Hamilton to become and what it deserves to be. I spend just about every waking moment working on projects that I feel are bringing Hamilton closer to what I want it to be.

More often than not when I see something like this happen its because the process is broken not the project.

Most of this conversation has been focused on who should live downtown, where should poor people go, etc. WRONG FOCUS. The focus should be on:
Who made this decision?
What process did they take to get to it?
How is this decision moving Hamilton towards our new vision?
Does the decision or process reflect the values of Vision 2020, Places to Grow, etc?

If the project can be analyzed in this way it wouldn't turn into a me vs. you, poor vs. rich, college educated vs. life experience, etc. Those kinds of arguments draw lines based on assets not principles.

If the Connaught project was subjected to the same public process that my organizations Building a Creative Catalyst project is I'm sure the outcome would be beneficial to the community.

We want public funds so we go through the process - Mr. Spallacci should be subjected to the same scrutiny. It would be nothing short of a miracle if we received $12 million for our project, but I'm certain it would meet the collective values of the community as a project worthy of our core.

Focus on poking holes in the process folks - not the people.

Jeremy
(does not have university degree and lives about 4 blocks from the Connaught)