Raise the Hammer

Mayor Bratina and Councilor Whitehead,

I have tried to look at this from all different angles to perhaps see why this ‘deal’ to renovate Ivor Wynne is the best way to go for the future of HAMILTON. And truthfully I cannot figure this out. We citizens have spent millions already in acquiring land and remediation in the West Harbour for years and if Ivor Wynne is truly the best site to put this Pan Am stadium then fine but what about the money already spent in the West Harbour? How can we afford to sit on this land indefinitely? PLEASE tell me there is a plan, a feasible, workable plan in the near future for getting the West Harbour cleaned up and properly developed, otherwise stated; I need you to justify abandoning the investment already made in one area over the course of previous years and moving ALL of the slated funding to another area?
Having asked that, since this supposed deal is going to cost us everything we have shouldn’t we, as a city in the very least have bargained for partial ownership in these Tiger-Cats that we are so heavily funding? At least with part ownership there would be a slight chance of a return on our investment because I know we would never build a stadium for a corporation that constantly loses money – that would be downright absurd now wouldn’t it? Now, I fully admit in the last two weeks since the Ivor Wynne renovations was proposed I have asked both of you these same questions but my problem is my frustration I have encountered that neither of you have even tried to provide me with any type of answer to these questions I pose and I would greatly appreciate an answer from my elected representatives in a timely manner. In fact, I demand this from both of you. This is the future of my city for my children we are talking about, and I think it a tad important to know the reasoning behind such an enormous decision other than ‘saving an historic football team’.

Looking forward to BOTH of you responding.

Yours Truly,