Raise the Hammer

I'm not sure that voting for a 6,000-seat stadium at the WH is an emotional act of desperation. The WH is the approved location, by both the City and HostCo. The stadium was the anchor of the WH dev't. I don't think getting a tenant will be a problem, not based on the soccer info that I've read over the past 3/4 year. We retain our enviable role in the Pan Am Games, get another sports & ent't facilities, kickstart the WH dev't (which can only be a gem if done right), and get a new soccer team. I don't perceive any white elephants there.

An internationally envied Velodrome would certainly attract a desirable audience to our City, inclusive of cycling events and new residents. tons and tons of economic spin-off, not to mention the increase in cycling culture on Hamiltonians. Very progressive. With all due respect, very un-Hamilton (and I say that as a proud Hamiltonian).

I do worry about sound levels at the WH, if there's been no provision for that yet, but then again...no one has shut down IWS or Gage Park. Not sure I'd want to live right beside any of these venues, though, even though the sound issue wouldn't occur probably more than a handful of times (tell a colicky baby or shift worker that).

As much as I like the idea of re-developong an existing stadium and re-invigorating an existing neighbourhood, logistically, with all emotional ties to IWS and the Cats aside (which is a struggle), IWS is not a great location for a 30,000-seat national team stadium - difficult to access and quite honestly, not our best visual foot put forward. The WH has location hands down in that regard.

Don't you wish the $115-million would cover a 5,000-seater @ WH, a mind-blowing Velodrome and upgrades to IWS? Too bad all three venues couldn't be brought into the Pan Am Games fold for events.

Meanwhile...time to piece together myriad pieces of info and missing info into a cohesive letter to Council...