Raise the Hammer

Ryan "It utterly blows my mind that the International Village and Downtown BIAs are more worried about losing curbside parking than they are about gaining LRT. It's like they want to keep failing."

This is Hamilton, and Change is Scary!!

It also blows my mind as almost the entire strip of the Int'l Village & Gore Park has a VAST amount of parking directly behind their shops (along King William, and/or Main). Maybe Rapid Transit Staff needs to remind them of that?

One thing I wont miss if LRT goes down King is that stupid 'Downtown Hamilton' monstrosity @ Wellington. Although nice and artsy, I hate that it creates a 'Downtown Border'. Get rid of Downtown 'Gateways' (like the one planned at King & Queen), and concentrate on Public Art, Banners, Way-Finding Elements that subtly remind people they're Downtown Hamilton (although one should already know they're downtown due to the urban setting and historic structures).

Also, ridding that intersection of that 'Downtown' Gateway would open up space for General Purpose Lanes, as well.

LRT could be the catalyst for a Gore Park business rejuvenation; but we need to remember it's not the Immaculate Solution Gore Park needs. It needs a combination of things such as: *Better Police PRESSANCE (on foot, bike & horseback), *Constant Activities (buskers, BIA-run events/festivals such as Tree of Hope Lighting Ceremony), *Events Geared to the White-Collar Crowd (Corportate Blitzs, ie: when Corportations (such as Coca Cola, Rogers, Labatt) run marketting campaigns (Text-Contests, Torch Relays, Labatt Honey Bees)).

...all of this ONTOP of incentives to get more chains (Second Cup, etc) to locate here as well as LRT would be a great way to keep people in the Gore, feeling safe, rather than simply walking through. If King becomes the LRT route; there is no doubt Gore Park will reach it's full potential, but it wont happen on it's own. We need to pressure the City and appropriate Dept's to make the right decisions!