Raise the Hammer

I'm afraid that I'm going to have to chime in with Highwater... although I've only been here for 4 years, I keep seeing what can only be described as criminal neglect of this city by the very people who should be most concerned for it's longevity.

I really should put all of this in a longer article, but what it comes down to is that we're in a political environment where corporate funding (be it for direct campaign contributions or slight of hand like we're seeing now with the stadium) is taken as more worthy than the voices of the electorate. The council will CHEERFULLY accept the statements of a corporation as unimpeachable evidence of what shall be, and yet when the corporations fail to follow through, we just say "oh well" and get right back to bitching about how awful it is to be "From The Hammer". We saw it when the corporations told us how the Red Hill would take trucks off the streets (Cannon and Wilson are dangerous even in a car still, let alone on a bike or walking down the slivers of sidewalks), the told us how lovely Centre Mall would be and lied about how it would have a great streetscape... oh, and have you tried to walk from the bank to Zellers?

I don't see that the stadium situation is going to be any different.

To the whiners in the north end who are worried about traffic - STFU. I live in the shadow of Ivor Wynn and I'm slightly inconvenienced approximately twice a year, the rest of the time, I relish in the groups and families walking to the stadium.

To the whiners in the suburbs who want to go "driveway-to-driveway" - STFU. There's a place for you in Mississauga, where the driveways are many and you can pay for the privilege of parking at all of Mississauga's world class stadiums. Oh. Right.

To the whiners in city hall who want their cake gold plated - STFU. Why don't you all do something productive and forward facing - lead by POSITIVE example instead of mealymouthed corporate asskissing, walking out, stepping back from a challenge and all of the other things we've seen our perpetually re-elected councilors doing for the last 4 years.

To the corporations who need a hand out - STFU. I buy my TiCats tickets for face value. If that's not enough to pay the way of the team then you just failed ECO101 - raise the ticket price or reduce your costs - pick one. If the "we couldn't win if someone gave us 1,000 pucks and pulled not just the goalie but the whole fraking team" Maple Leafs can demand $600 for a family of four to go to a game, you can raise your prices to an economically viable point - even more so because you don't suck as hard as you could.

And finally, to all of the Hamiltonians who bitch and complain and whine about how just awful it is to be a Hamiltonian - STFU. Please leave, by the first available route, we need you less than we need another headshot from Dalton's 'funding' gun. There are plenty of us that think Hamilton is pretty damn awesome - from it's gritty industrial heritage (spread in a thin coat over everything), it's asinine internal 'highways', it's 100 parking spots per capita downtown and it's unhealthy preoccupation with cheque cashing and lottery outlets, through to it's gorgeous parks, beautiful homes, unparalleled geographic placement, and honest hardworking PROUD citizens.

I think I'm done for now.

I need a lie down.