Raise the Hammer

Why is a Councillor or the Mayor for that matter, aloud to put up their hand and vote on our behalf?

I know it's a bit off topic but we are talking about slow processes and wondering why certain things are done.

I personally would love to know what our Hamilton would look like if it was planned more to some of the visions I find on here or other local online outlets. We've got some bright and creative minds pulling their hair out in frustration.

Why? Why aren't Councillor's managers of a larger 'paid' team? A team that must vote with the Councillor like the Mayor's vote of the group?

Then Councillor's are accountable. There is no question.

Maybe we'd get nothing done. Maybe nothing would pass. Maybe. Maybe for a while until we all understood one another even more, as to what we as a city really want. The change we really want to see. What we really want to save and where we want our city to go. Then maybe things would pass more smoothly and efficiently because the sneaky bullshit wouldn't have a chance to slip through the cracks.

Maybe. Maybe the neighborhood association leads would all be on their Councillor's board? Perhaps if they were all paid, every area would not just have a NA but a functioning and active one. We need large teams of citizens active in every pocket of this city to reduce crime, clean up the bad, preserve history, and make them walkable, liveable, strong communities.

Maybe it's too late with all the schools leaving and forever changing the dynamics of so many communities. Maybe that sense of community will be harder to embrace, with our children bussing all over hell's half acre's.

Maybe it's just a wasted thought. Maybe I shouldn't care. But I do. And it needs to change. This aint a corporation. It's my home, so let's make it more of a family than an office.

I support your vision Jason. Extend it. If you are going to try something, make sure you're all in but your shoelaces. Giving it your 'all' is the only way we'll truly know if it's all we think and in our hearts know, what it can be.

There are so many people that believe in downtown even in it's long past and current state. It's coming along but as Jason points out with Gore, it's too slow. Jump in with both feet. Every city knows the importance of our downtown's. So go nuts for Pete's sake. Do it for the people who have stuck it out this long and who are trying to take it upon themselves to do what they feel council is dragging their feet over.

And the BoE better be the last damn piece of our history that comes down without all of our input. Bullshit. F'in bullshit. We need to project Matt's movie on a wall by the BoE the day the wrecking ball strikes. All of council needs to be there. They need to watch as something dies that they pulled the plug on.

Sorry for the rant. Every day closer to D day saddens and angers me a little more.

Why?

Give us a reason to believe again council. Gives us a sign that things are going to change. You know i don't think it's just council but a problem with the process in general but let's work together to fix it. Do you really think this city as a whole wants that building to come down and before that question is answered, it needs to be asked what everyone knows about it? Been in it? Stood close and stared and admired it, or just rushed by it through 5 or 6 lanes of side by side traffic.

Things are changing too fast in this city. Too many things to advocate for. Highways, conservation, urban sprawl, airports, architecture, school closings, waterfront plans, stadiums, LRT, GO, PanAm ... A freakin' lot of huge projects just pushing through with not enough people or time to sit back and say whoa, let's get off at the next stop and discuss all this awhile.

On one hand we need to speed up some projects, and on the other we need to ensure we are making these decisions with the whole of the communities blessing. Not a handful of reps with way too much on their plates to truly understand the dynamics and future ramifications of all of this.

There is multi-tasking and there is throwing all your balls up in the air and running for cover.

I'd like all the bullshit about the mayor and council to not exist in our media. Sick of reading it, but for that to happen things need to change.

Will it ever? Maybe. Yes. I think so. Yes. I know so. Too many people who care in this city for it not to.

But time. Time is not on our side because it needs to change now. Schools=closing=wtf. BoE=distruction=wtf. AEGD=sprawl=wtf. Escarpment Hwy=sprawl=destruction=wtf. Walmart at the end of Ottawa St=wtf. No more vocational schools=wtf. No more Stoney Creek Dairy=history gone=wtf. What's next? Hutches? First covered mall in North America=left to rot=gone=big box=wtf.

Everybody's changing and I don't feel the same. There's evolution and absolution and theirs disillusion and confusion.

We were taling about Made in Canada the other day. Sad to be excited to find such a rare product. It's time for Made in Canada to make a comeback. Time for made in Hamilton for Hamiltonians. Time to take our council seats back. Time for change.

Time to park the high-speed trains from and by this city and plop our keister's in an office space right here in the Hammer.

I want to live and work and play and buy my lunch and mid afternoon coffee right here at a local shop. I want to attend events and camp and explore and for us all to thrive and grow together right here.

There is only one real reason to leave these municipal borders now and that's for work. To me that's where this massive change needs to start.

Comment edited by lawrence on 2012-07-12 13:33:42