Raise the Hammer

Hey John and others for engaging in this forum. Quite honestly, it has been real busy as you can imagine but wanted to respond to your questions/thoughts.

1.How will you promote the redevelopment of the former Cannon Knitting Mills building?

First we have to address ways of making Cannon a more livable street by addressing the speed and width of the street. Personally I would like to see the 4 lanes reduced to 2 allowing for wider sidewalks AND street parking as this will inherently slow down traffic. Further as in my platform, we must offer incentives to business owners and developers to invest in the core. I’ve also talked about how I believe the City should remediate Brownfield’s to make them a viable option for development. We either recoup those costs on the purchase of those lands or at worst; we get the money back from taxes when those lands get back into use. Moreover, similar to the Pearl Company, we have to re-think bylaws that hinder development and I would push for a review of our parking requirements.

2. How will you ensure that the Hamilton Downtown Mosque is able to acquire the land behind their current building in order to construct their proposed school, housing complex, and mosque expansion?

Great another ugly box! This is insane. In no way can we allow this site to be anything other than all the good things the Mosque plans for. No way would I support buying this property for a police storage facility. There are too many other sites they can have.

3. Will you work to enact the measures listed below in order to make our streets safer and more livable? If not, then what other measures do you propose?

Honestly John, I cannot commit to all the measures you have listed. But I can commit to making Ward 2 a more livable community by consulting with residents like you to allow for all sides to be heard. I am for slowing down traffic, incenting business and developers to invest in Ward 2 and for the City to remediate our North-end Brownfield’s. I am for putting a freeze on any application for development permits or re-zoning of anything other than Brownfield’s or priority neigbourhoods. We can talk all we want about getting industry to re-develop our Brownfield’s but the reality is, it is and obviously has been a tough sell. We need to make the lands attractive and we can re-direct our wasteful spending to do this. Doing this brings people and jobs to the City’s core. People and jobs will ultimately make the ward a better living area.

Again let me thank you for being so engaged in our community and I apologize for being late to the discussion. I look forward to meeting you Monday at the Dr. Davey School. Let me finish by saying that I am for two-term limits. I was the first and only candidate to not only publicly say it but include it in my printed materials. For others to try and "own" the position now that it is gaining traction are not being genuine.

I urge you to visit matteogentile2010.ca to learn more about me.

Sincerely,
Matteo Gentile
Candidate for Ward 2