Raise the Hammer

I'm going to post this a 2nd. time. The original was in The Mad Connaught thread. My original post for some reason did not appear.

Nobody is going to buy deluxe accomodation in downtown Hamilton. If you've got $300,000.00 to spend on a condo, why would you plonk that kind of money in Hamilton? I don't care what you build they ain't gonna come, or not in sufficient numbers to fill the core. What Hamilton has going for it is Affordabilty. What Is It about that that some people don't seem to understand?

Companies move here for cheap labour, & cheap buildings & overhead. They don't come here for Dundurn Castle, Hess St., or the AGH.

Downtown Hamilton is poor, as are most city cores, but most city cores have some diversity in income. Hamilton doesn't as much because it has focused all it's energy & money in Urban Sprawl.(& "You gits what you pays for.")

There are a lot efforts going on to pigeon-hole "The Poor". A lot of older people who thought they had enough $$ to retire comfortably will not, thanks to our recent & ongoing recession. These people may need assistance to be properly housed. Single family support mothers with their kids make up a great %age of the poor, as do seniors (mostly elderly women who are the Poorest of the Poor.) & persons with handicaps & chronic illness.

(No, OHIP doesn't pay for everything! Get sick & find this out! You might also what to find out what the wait times are for DARTS, & if most people that clearly need it can even qualify for it. I guess this means a bigger investment in DARTS, or maybe just worse service?)

I find it very distasteful that Some people think that women with their children, elderly people, formerly middle class retirees, & a few people with diabetes, or in wheelchairs or walkers will somehow destroy the "Tone" of a downtown that has already seen better days. (& it not likely going to see it's former ?Glory? ever again, thank to the folks we keep electing.)

You don't have anything remotely resembling adequate public transit in your 'Burbs. You don't have hospital facilities & not much in the way of outpatient clinics either. We are creating a generation of Mall Rats. (public transit that only goes to The Mall.)

There are not not a lot of things for people to do, esp. with kids. Suburban anywhere means long walks for groceries, stores, libraries, doctors & dentists. Are you asking people with low incomes to buy cars, or just wait @ bus stops for hours, take cab$$, or hike home with a week's worth of food? You are asking these folks to pay more out of pocket to simply live. (& YEAH... many things cost more in the 'burbs! Sports & Rec., the movies, & some food items. )

Some of "The Poor' have addiction problems. (So do some of the very rich!) I think many of the people who are righting/ranting about "The Poor" have no idea whom they are talking about. They want to lump everyone in the same category with the homeless, the street people & the substance addicts. I'd also like to note that these people who want "The Poor" deported from downtown, want them deported to a suburb Far Away from Them.

I live in the Suburbs & I know what is & isn't available here. I'm aware of how much more money it costs to live here than in Hamilton. Why would anybody expect "The Poor" to pay more to live, & function? If this attitude isn't dumping on your fellow humans, I don't know what is. : (