Raise the Hammer

A couple thoughts...

1. Hamilton needs a new approach to citizen engagement & participatory democracy. 81 letters of support is great but we're a city of 500,000 residents. There's something to be said about the wisdom of crowds. Councillors are attuned to the needs of their constituents. And it's hard to believe the committee was proposed without first knowing exactly who'd support what around the council chambers.

2. Advocates of 2-way conversion need to reframe this issue and take the high road. If it continues to be positioned as a downtown core vs. the rest of Hamilton issue, there will never be Hamilton-wide buy-in and political support. Broad generalizations that people who don't live and work downtown don't care about the core are not helpful. I support 2-way streets and I'm one of the folks who lives in the much maligned west end of the city. Right now, more than a few advocates are playing to stereotype. Everyone wants to be part of a winning team. A whining team? Not so much. The rhetoric has been cringeworthy.

3. The pushback and doubts may not just be about the need to quickly drive from one end of the city to the other. When I worked in the industrial east end, I took Burlington Street from my West Hamilton home and avoided driving thru the core. A bigger issue may be the real / perceived cost of the conversions. Councillors may be wondering how to sell a multi-million dollar project to constituents for whom 2-way street conversions just aren't on their radar.

4. Two-way conversion advocates need a much cleaner & compelling message that will resonate with all of Hamilton. Personally, I'd go with economic development. I want a downtown core that's the cultural and economic hub of the city and one that puts lots of people to work and generates a ton of revenue. Street conversions will help fast-track the renewal and revitalization that's happening downtown. It's in all of our best interests to make downtown an even greater place to work, live, shop and play. One of the highlights from this year's economic summit was the suggestion that Hamilton could grab a share of the health sciences conference and convention business. A vibrant downtown would help seal the deal for conference organizers looking to give delegates a great experience. There's also the report just out that says walkable urban spaces will be the prime real estate market for the next generation. Once full-day GO service is in Hamilton, we should bank on young professionals / families putting down roots in the core. Developers should be advocating for two-way streets. If an investment in the core drives down tax bills in the rest of Hamilton, they'll be support for street conversions.

5. And what if the whole issue was taken up a level and two-way streets were positioned as part of an overall strategy to make downtown an even better place to live, work, shop and play? Two-way streets aren't a cure-all or silver bullet.I'd argue we need wider sidewalks, better lighting, physical barriers between bike lanes and roads, more public spaces (Gore Park as Hamilton's Front Porch, a park / bandshell on James North), parking on both sides of the street, better wayfinding and an end to the synchronized lights. How about a study group focused on making downtown Hamilton a revenue-generating powerhouse?

As for next steps, I'd suggest advocates invest the time to broaden and deepen their ranks beyond the usual suspects, develop a key message that would resonate with all of Hamilton (and pre-test it with groups before rolling out). And use two-way conversions and downtown renewal to test drive a new approach to citizen engagement and particpatory democracy on key community-building initiatives. Consult and listen widely and get as many folks as possible hammering out and buying into a vision for what the core could and should be. And then councillors will follow their constituents.

Cheers,

Jay