Raise the Hammer

Subject: Urban Renewal NOT Suburban Sprawl

I am writing this on behalf of myself and two friends. Each of us, independently at various times over the last 2-7 years, chose to leave Toronto and make downtown Hamilton our home. All three of us are very proud Hamiltonians. We embrace all that Hamilton has to offer, and we are very excited about the future possibilities in store for the city. Our vision and hopes for Hamilton include a revitalized city, with a vibrant downtown and waterfront.

We are thoroughly appalled and disgusted with the bullying and blackmail tactics being exercised by the Hamilton Tiger-Cat organization. Bob Young's August 9th letter to the Mayor was the last straw for us. Shame on the Tiger-Cat organization for refusing to cooperate and collaborate with the City of Hamilton and its citizens on an opportunity of a lifetime. We have sitting in front of us an opportunity to secure significant provincial and federal funding to support an initiative that would revitalize the city and result in a new home for the Tiger-Cat team - a state of the art stadium that would be one of the most beautiful in North America, in a unique and breaathtaking waterfront setting that any other North American city would be hard-pressed to match. The Tiger-Cat organization is being very short-sighted, and has put the short-term financial gain of a few ahead of the potential wide-ranging long-term gains to be realized by many. We will find it difficult, if not impossible, to forgive the Tiger Cat organization for intentionally sabotaging this initiative.

If the Tiger-Cat organization and whatever other private interests that may be involved are so opposed to a West Harbour stadium location, and so keen on an East Mountain stadium, then let them build it. With their own money. Not with Future Fund money and not with Hamilton tax payers’ money.

Karin Treff, Luc Venne and Jacklyn Campbell