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Funding Watchdog Journalism and the 1% Internet Rule: My Plan to Become Sustainable and Grow – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 23, 2015
Watchdog journalism is a public good. Everyone benefits from it, and we need to work together to fund it for everyone’s benefit to ensure we have a strong society.
Does the 1% Internet Rule provide a model for doing so?
I’m basing my business model for the future of local journalism on the 90-9-1 model, with the hypothesis that readers of ThePublicRecord.ca will be split between 90% who will only consume content, 9% who will become patrons and participants, and 1% who will become major patrons, daily participants, and promoters of local public interest journalism.
The 10% (9% + 1%) who will fund public interest journalism will do so without a paywall, and the 1%  who will be major patrons will not fund public interest journalism that is not open licensed to all. (The 1% in this rule should not be confused with the top 1% of income earners.)
Public service journalism cannot exist behind a paywall. If it only serves a niche audience, it is no longer a public good which commands access to public officials and bodies that taxpayers are subsidizing by providing space, resources, and hiring media/communication officers to support the production of news by journalists.
It seems to be a dilemma: the paywall won’t work because it decreases the moral authority of journalism, but giving away news without a hard paywall means people do not need to pay to consume it.
The Public Record takes this a step further. We open culture all work using the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license.
I only met one person who said they were not funding my work because it wasn’t behind a paywall. Once I explained to them the importance of my work as a public good, they became a patron. Even if they had not – and they surprised me by asking for a paywall – I would lose more patrons and supporters from putting up a paywall than I would ever gain with one.
Overwhelmingly, I’ve heard people who pay for journalism behind paywalls express frustration at the clumsy implementation of paywalls and the need to login to read local news. I’m a paywall subscriber and would pay regardless, but I take steps to block paywalls. (Mobile provides an opportunity to provide value-added features to subscribers, more on that later in the piece.)
If paywalls are not the solution to the challenge of funding journalism in the information age, then what are the solutions?
Cuts to local journalism started years prior to the arrival of the early Internet as corporations consolidated large media conglomerates.
To increase shareholder profits, local newsrooms were ordered to close bureaus, slashing beat reporters covering the provincial and federal governments. Municipal affair, local amateur sports, local culture coverage cut, use of wire copy increased, and entire sections started to disappear.
The void is obvious to those at Queen’s Park. In 2010, in a Ryerson Review of Journalism interview, Toronto Star columnist Jim Coyle honestly stated what he thought of The Hamilton Spectator using his Torstar wire copy instead of having its own journalist at Queen’s Park:
“I don’t mind saying it: I don’t have a Hamilton perspective. I’m an east Toronto guy, working for a Toronto paper, and that’s what I write about. The interests of Hamilton are not at the top of my mind most days when I’m writing. I don’t think the papers are terrifically served.”
The Internet was not a factor in the cuts of the 1990s, widespread primary adoption didn’t occur until the early mid-00s with the invention of the iPhone and corporate dominance of the Blackberry smartphone.
The Internet provides the opportunity to reverse the downward slide of journalism that started in the 1990s. It may not seem this way because the Internet ended the marriage of convenience that advertising made to journalism in the mid-20th Century.
With the loss of advertising dollars, weakened by cuts in the ‘90s, and lacking the ability to control their destiny by investing in better journalism and innovation, newspapers were unable to respond to the smartphone revolution.
They lost their local connection and corporate headquarters wasn’t willing to invest in better journalism to create a product people would pay more for.  (Read Robert Niles’ excellent piece Want to cover local? Then you’d better BE local for a great synopsis of the local problem in conglomerate media.)
The chart below of American newspaper revenue and number of journalists shows this trend clearly.
The early 90s recession combined with consolidation to create the first sustained layoffs.
Even as revenue and profits spiked in the late 90s, layoffs continued. 2008’s recession was the final divorce. The marriage was over, advertising left and many journalists found themselves unable to find jobs.
(There is no similar chart for Canadian newspapers. While there were cuts in the early 90s, the launch of The National Post in 1998 decreased the cuts as a short newspaper war ensured.)
We live in an age of information overload but much of what’s available needs more depth and explanation. We need good journalism more than ever before.
The future of professional journalism will not be short microbursts of information, it will be in-depth deep knowledgeable evidenced-based reporting produced by journalists able to dedicate significant time and effort into deeply reporting and analyzing information.
We need journalism that doesn’t say just what happened, but journalism that informs why and enables readers to act upon information to improve their lives and their communities. He-said, she-said doesn’t cut it.
The challenge is that we have fewer journalists to cover the news and more pressure on the remaining journalists to produce more stories that generate more clicks, and to chase the new holy grail of corporate journalism – the viral news story.
Against this pressure, we need to break the cycle and find a new way of supporting watchdog journalism.
There is a rising tide of independent local journalists who are becoming entrepreneurial in addressing the challenging task of finding a business model for the future of public interest watchdog journalism.
The web allows anyone to publish what they are seeing. It allows politicians and institutions to directly communicate their message (and propaganda), and it enables for the rebuilding of local journalism because the cost of entry is no longer a multi-million dollar printing press and distribution network.
It enables individuals to step up and fulfill the need for local watchdog journalism with live web broadcasts of public meetings, to publish multiple articles about what is happening at City Hall, to organize panel discussions, and to help make our community better by providing for an informed democratic discussion and discourse.
Instead of lamenting the end of corporate journalism – where I found my first home and beginning as a journalist – I’m filling the news void, working to convince people to directly fund journalism by becoming patrons of my work. The goal is firstly to become sustainable to pay my own bills, and then to grow to hire more journalists to expand and improve local news coverage.
I’m not rewriting others’ content, not chasing clicks, and not regurgitating press releases.
I file freedom of information requests, make government more transparent, keep watch over public processes, provide a hub for local real-time news, and organize panel discussions to help create informed civic discussion and discourse.
All of this because I want to contribute to the positive transformation of my hometown by applying my journalism skills in the public interest, and because I believe the revival of local journalism requires ambitious journalists willing to make the sacrifices to launch startup outlets.
Local journalism is the foundation of rebuilding the teethy watchdog fourth estate required for a functional and vibrant democratic nation of informed self-governing citizens who are able to fulfil the responsibilities of citizenship.
This brings us back to the biggest challenge facing journalism: funding the watchdogs.
The slow decline in journalism in the early 1990s became a crisis in the 2000s as advertising’s marriage of convenience to commercial journalism ended. Advertising found more cost-effective means of reaching audiences with the widespread adoption of smartphones and mobile.
Even at the peak of the advertising age of journalism, watchdog journalism was subsidized by more profitable sections of the newspapers and classifieds. Watchdog journalism was never funded by advertising dollars, because it is labour-intensive and costly.
In Hamilton, our municipal “freedom of information” office charges hundreds of dollars for the most simple request, our local hospitals charge thousands or tens of thousands of dollars (such as $12,887.77 for senior exec and Board expense claims) for simple information requests, and McMaster University in the past ignored an IPC order to release the contract of its executive head for months.
Fighting for public access to public information in Hamilton is expensive.
Watchdog journalism requires being at hundreds of hours of public meetings each month, spending hundreds of hours reading documents, researching issues, and many hours of professional development to ensure the proper knowledge to write in-depth evidenced based articles.
There are costs to streaming, communications, office space, equipment, travel, and – to make a career from watchdog journalism – a salary for the journalists.
You get what you pay for in journalism.
To be effective in providing a public goal, public interest journalism must be accessible to all. To be sustainable, it must be funded.
Based on the 90-9-1 model:
9% of readers are willing to become patrons with a modest monthly contribution that will help support the operating costs of the outlet. At $10 per month, it will take approximately 800 of these patrons to fund the operating costs of hiring one investigative journalism.
1% of readers will become patrons with a monthly contribution similar to what they pay for their newspaper subscription at $20 per month. It takes approximately 400 of these patrons to fund an investigative journalist.
Monthly patrons get advance access to tickets for panel discussions, with $20 patrons getting first, and will have access to a future mobile app that will include audio-only versions of web streams.
Panel discussion tickets are free as part of the editorial mandate to serve all Hamiltonians and to ensure no one is prevented from being part of conversation.
It enables an outlet to assign journalists with a long-term commitment to fearless journalism, to launch investigations into problems needing solutions, and to be free from undue influence from those we cover.
This enables a journalist to make the return commitment to serving the public interest.
The patron model of funding journalism won’t produce the windfalls that the advertising golden age did for newspapers.
It would be nice to return to the days of mass employment for journalists who could expect upper-middle-class and upper-class pay, many perks, and a good likelihood of becoming a desk editor after a couple of years of “paying dues” as a reporter. (I know I’d like to enjoy an easier career path.)
It would be nicer still for all the other people employed in industrial journalism – the advertising sales staff, the circulation staff, printing staff, and delivery staff, to name a few. (We often forget about all the job losses outside of newsrooms.)
Today, we can remove the costs of operating a print newspaper – overhead, facilities, printing presses, newsprint, ink by the barrel (I don’t we’ll ever be able to replace the saying “never quarrel with a man who buys ink by the barrel.”), and delivery.
These costs are no longer required to produce watchdog journalism. Web hosting of a couple hundred dollars a month can provide this function. (Good hosting on a dedicated secure server is why the cost is hundreds of dollars per month.)
What about the publisher’s suite? No longer needed. The watchdog journalism outlet does not seek to wine and dine with the powerful.
The watchdog journalist seeks to be a sentry of the public watching the powerful and calling attention to matters of public importance.
Remove profit margins that were the envy of most industries – Frank Blethen, the fourth, family publisher of the private family-owned Seattle Times testified to the United States Congress in 2003 that conglomerate media newspapers enjoyed profit margins of “30 percent or greater”. Canadian newspapers enjoyed considerable profits similar to their American cousins.
As noted in his book The Deal from Hell: How Moguls and Wall Street Plundered Great American Newspapers, journalist James O’Shea shows the editorial budgets of some major newspapers was less than a fifth of revenue.
This before problems like for the debt burdens facing conglomerates such as Postmedia which is laying off journalisms to finance debt obligations to investors.
The monthly patron system for ThePublicRecord.ca will use trusted secure third-party payment systems PayPal and Stripe to process patron contributions. These payment services are secure and charge reasonable rates.
I’m a journalist, not a information security professional. No journalism startup should be handling sensitive information data such as credit card numbers. The startup needs to have a secure site to properly integrate the payment service.
Sites such as Beacon or Patreon take cuts of subscriptions between 5% to 15%. This is not sustainable as an outlet grows.
An added challenge using these sites is that subscriptions are in US Dollars, meaning currency exchange fees for patrons and the outlet. In addition, fluctuations in exchange rates cause frustration for patrons who can see their contribution spike in Canadian Dollars as the Loonie loses value to the Greenback.
The monthly patron model will provide operating revenue and, eventually, it will be able to cover capital replacement costs.
During the startup phase – the first five years – the monthly patron model is unlikely to be able to fully cover capital costs and special projects (in Hamilton FOI fees).
This means – especially in Canada – that crowdfunding is needed to enable local watchdog journalism outlets to make the capital investments. (In America, there are numerous foundations to fund journalism startups and innovation, most famously the Knight Foundation.)
There are supporters who are unable or uncomfortable making a commitment as a monthly patron. Many monthly patrons will contribute additional financial support to the outlet for capital or special projects. But, one-time contributions are not sustainable and a journalism outlet cannot be built on them.
Applying these contributions to one-time expenses is an effective means of including them in the business model.
The current crowdfunding campaign is an example. The capital investments the campaign will fund are a significant need to make the outlet sustainable and to create the solid foundation needed for growth.
In the next few months, capital investments will be needed for podcasting equipment and for a complete website infrastructure revamp to facilitate a mobile application to better serve patrons and readers.
These investments are critical to growing, serving new readers, and earning the trust of new patrons.
For 2015, the goal for The Public Record is to focus on building the infrastructure for growth in the fall.
The current campaign will fund equipment and web server upgrades.
In the spring, there will be a small campaign to purchase microphones, headphones, sound proofing materials and other equipment to create a small podcast studio in the office. This equipment will also serve to podcast panel discussions in the community.
Panel discussions will form a major part of the work of The Public Record. Our “After Council” podcast, the Transit Panel, and our joint event with CANADALAND were informative and fulfilled the outlet’s mandate to create informative discourse.
Next, we’re going to look at Inclusionary Zoning, Six-Storey Wood Frame Structures, and the future of Jackson Square as the City looks at selling it.
With sustainable funding, I’ll be able to focus my work on hosting an “After Council” podcast the Thursday evenings following each Council meeting and moving the discussion to all of Hamilton’s wards and communities.
These events build community and advance good civic discussion. They build relationships with patrons and readers helping to make the outlet sustainable.
They also inform our coverage, the recent transit panel was informative and made for better coverage the next day when it was debated at Council.
ThePublicRecord.ca will need a significant investiment of time this summer to build the backend of the website to support future database apps (a building development tracker is top of the list), more audio and video content, better real-time news updates, and to support a mobile app for patrons.
The mobile app will enable patrons to get customized notifications, having a real-time tip forum for information sharing and collaborative news gathering, and an audio-only version of live streams. (Audio streaming on the Internet is more complex and costly than video, due to YouTube and the economies of scale.)
The real growth opportunity for fulfilling the mandate of public interest journalism is in collaboration and mobile. It’s resource intensive. I hope we’ll build a mobile app and website that can be shared with other watchdog startups that will form in other Canadian cities once ours is sustainable and successful.
More Hamiltonians will benefit from the journalism and number of patrons will increase as the site’s reach grows.
I expect that in the fall, the site will have revenue to start hiring Hamiltonians to cover more local stories, starting on a freelance basis.
Eventually, once the revenue from patrons exists, we’ll hire these Hamiltonians full-time and expand coverage to other public institutions – such as streaming the Hospital Board and the McMaster University Board of Governors.
Next spring, the plan is to expand into an office space with a professional podcast studio that will be open to patrons to record your own podcasts.
Over time, Hamilton will be able to have a healthy media landscape with numerous outlets covering our City, ensuring a healthy fourth estate.
Then, The Public Record will send reporters to Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill. Each day, the provincial and federal governments will answer questions from Hamiltonians. Imagine if the Premier couldn’t dodge questions about The Big Move [LRT] and the Prime Minister couldn’t dodge issues like US Steel and federal funding for affordable housing.
The Internet 1% Rule provides a good guide for building the future of journalism by providing a guide for providing content to all, while building a business model funded by patrons happy to support watchdog journalism.
Watchdog journalism is a public good, one which we need more than ever.
We have to start someone to address the challenges of making journalism sustainable. We do that here and now.
Hopefully, I’ve convinced you that its worth supporting and you’ll click this link to add your support to the crowdfunding campaign, and will sign up to be a monthly patron of my work and ThePublicRecord.ca.
Postscript: I wish to thank Jesse Brown, Mathew Ingram, and Jim Heaney for being part of the January 9th panel discussion on business models. All three of them insprired me to continue my efforts towards sustainability and give me great advice on the path.
And a video: Jesse Brown says of me “You might be considered a strange guy”

created: February 23, 2015


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Hamilton City Council 2015 Budget Debates: Transit and Public Works – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 6, 2015
Council will debate the 2015 Public Works Budget and a 10-year Transit Improvement Plan.
Replay.

source: news-thepublicrecord

created: February 6, 2015

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


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Hamilton City Council Budget 2015: Departmental Presentations – Planning/EcDev & Public Health – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 10, 2015
Council meets to hear the 2015 departmental budget presentations for Public Health Services and the Planning & Economic Development Department.
Replay

created: February 10, 2015


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Hamilton City Council Budget 2015: Public Delegations – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 24, 2015
Once a year, City Hall allows residents to speak to Council outside of business hours.
Today is the day as residents are allowed – thanks to the Municipal Act – to speak to Council on any City matter related to the budget.
Delegations begin at 3pm and Council remains at City Hall until 7pm for any resident who may arrive during the statutory public meeting.

created: February 24, 2015


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Hamilton City Council for February 11, 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 11, 2015
City Council meets to ratify Standing Committee work from the past two weeks. Among the items of note are Canada Post Community Mailboxes, hiring consultants to oppose the proposed Pier 15 Energy-from-Waste plant, and officially passing the Bills to amend the traffic bylaw to end the bus-only lane downtown.
Replay.

created: February 11, 2015


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Hamilton City Council for February 25, 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 25, 2015
City Council meets to approve the work of the past two weeks, exclusive of budget deliberations, two reports from the Integrity Commissioner, and a motion to studying creating designated locations for tobogganing on City property.
Live video begins at 5pm.

created: February 25, 2015


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Hamilton City Council GIC for February 18, 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 18, 2015
Master Transportation Plan Engagement Process, North End Traffic Management Plan, and The Right to a Healthy Environment.
Replay
Morning Session (Right to Healthy Environment and North End Traffic Management Plan):
Afternoon Session

created: February 18, 2015


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Hamilton City Council GIC for February 4, 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 4, 2015
Hamilton City Council will debate the proposed Pier 15 Waste-From-Energy Plant, Canada Post community postal boxes, Public Art Master Plan, and a request from the McMaster Students Union to speak on Friday to the HSR enhancement plans which are being hidden from the public until Friday.
Replay Videos
Morning Session:
Afternoon Session:

created: February 4, 2015


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Hamilton PanAm Stadium Sub-Committee for February 24, 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 24, 2015
It’s the standard monthly meeting of the PanAm Stadium Sub-Committee during which they’ll discuss ongoing construction delays, vent about the stadium builder, and discuss how great everything else in the PanAm Planning Process is going.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8SIvmw74gQ


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Hamilton Planning Committee for February 3, 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 3, 2015
Planning Committee holds four public hearings, one public delegation, and revises the lottery licensing by-law.
Live video starts at 9:30am.

created: February 3, 2015


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Hey Hamilton: Let's Talk Transit – A Discussion Event on Thursday, February 5, 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 4, 2015
Join us Thursday 7:30pm at Mill’s Hardware for ThePublicRecord.ca’s panel discussion on the future of Hamilton’s public transit system, the HSR.
The event is free, thanks to the generous hospitality of Mill’s Hardware.
On Friday, February 6, 2015, Hamilton’s new Transit Director is presenting a vision for improving Hamilton’s public transportation department, the Hamilton Street Railway.
On Thursday, February 5th, The Public Record will bring together a panel to discuss this vision and offer their expert input into how Council should respond to and improve the vision. This will be the third The Public Record discussion event following our November panel on voter turnout, and our January event with CANADALAND.
Our discussion starts with a belief that efficient high-quality public transit is essential for Hamilton’s economic future and quality of life. We believe this means HSR improvements are necessary and needed.
We’re bringing together a group of Hamiltonians with strong knowledge of, and experience with public transit in our City.
Nicholas Kevlahan is a leader in Hamilton’s transit advocacy movement and serves as spokesperson for Hamilton Light Rail. He is a regular user of public transportation.
Sara Mayo is a Social Planner with a concentration in Geographic Information Systems. Her knowledge of Hamilton’s socio-economic demographics will assist our discussion on the social good and need for public transit to provide access to services and opportunities for Hamiltonians.
Terri Wallis is a member of the Hamilton Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities who is a strong advocate and champion for a better fully equitable accessible HSR. She is a regular rider of the HSR and has presented to Council numerous times regarding barriers to HSR usage by persons with disabilities.  Wallis ran for City Council in 2014 in Ward 2.
Jason Nason helps lead Hamilton’s discussion of public transit with his twitter account @HSRTransit. He rides the overcrowded Barton bus daily to work and as his primary method of travel across the City. His first-hand knowledge of our transit system is second to none
City staff are withholding the HSR budget and improvement plan from the public. When the panel was originally planned, the goal was to discuss this plan.
Unfortunately, since the election, City Hall has become even less transparent than it was before the election and is refusing to make public the HSR transit plan and budget.
While all other departmental budgets are now public information, this is the first time I’m aware of in which a department has hidden their budget proposal from the public budget books.
Despite City Hall’s secrecy, we’re going to move forward with the panel on Thursday and ask the question: What can we do to improve the HSR, what steps do we need to take as a community to make the HSR better, and how do we engage in doing so.
The event will happen at Hamilton’s newest downtown venue, Mill’s Hardware at 95 King Street East (Across from the Royal Connaught) starting at 7:30pm.
Mill’s Hardware is fully accessible, and is a licensed establishment. There will be a cash bar.
Hope to see you on Thursday.


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How to Define Hamilton’s Neighbourhood Boundaries and Localisms: East, West, North, South, Upper and Lower? – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 13, 2015
(This is a bit of a long read; I started with the thought of writing about the localism of East Hamilton and where exactly East Hamilton starts. It became this 2500-word piece on Hamilton’s localisms city-wide and how I see them. I hope you enjoy and share your feelings – especially the strong ones – below)
As a Hamiltonian, I’m often surprised when Barton Street and Sanford Avenue is called “north end”, City staff use “north end” to describe the industrial sector between Sherman Avenue and Woodward Avenue, apartment buildings along Queenston Road in Stoney Creek are “east end,” the stadium is “east end,” Westdale is called Hamilton’s “west end,” Parkdale Avenue and Queenston Road is called “Stoney Creek”.
Hamilton is a large amalgamated city, no longer just the old City of Hamilton. This is why even the terminology used for the lower city is being forced to change.
Arguably, the entire lower city is now “North Hamilton,” especially with the rapid expansion of Hamilton south since the opening of the Lincoln Alexander Parkway, growth in Upper Stoney Creek and Glanbrook, and the inclusion of agricultural lands to the south of the urban boundary.
As a local journalist who is a Hamiltonian, I have strong opinions on when these terms should be used.
People who live in these communities – especially those along boundaries that are not exactly clear and even when they boundaries are clear – have stronger opinions still.
Those opinions will differ from mine and official political boundaries.
What do these terms mean? What are the hidden and not-so-hidden meanings?
North End is most often used to indicate – second hand – that a neighbourhood is poor or crime-ridden. It’s usually dropped when referring to Hamilton’s true North End in a positive story.
When writing about the booming real estate in the neighbourhood geographically defined as the North End (North of the CN mainline, west of Wellington), the term Hamilton’s waterfront is often used to clarify the use of North End for geographical purposes.
This second-hand negative meaning is why Barton and Sanford is “north end” in a crime story or “north end” to refer to Jimmy Thompson pool within the context of the area being a lower-income neighbourhood.
City staff will refer to pollution in Hamilton’s north end, or poverty in Hamilton’s north end when referring to neighbourhoods well outside of the traditional north end – even when the term was used commonly to refer to all residential areas north of the CN mainline tracks.
Those who grew up in the north end and found successful careers use the term to denote the adversity they’ve overcome and the character built growing up in a poor community where personal honour was the most important currency, since money was hard to come across.
I now use North End to refer solely to the neighbourhood or for historical context for someone who grew up north of the CN mainline and west of Lottridge. (From my own experience growing up, I see the area along Beach Road to be very different from the Keith neighbourhood of Wentworth North.)
East End is an interesting term to define geographically and for social meaning.
Personally, I’ve decreased my use of the term in favour of using neighbourhood names, key landmarks, and intersections to place a story in East Hamilton.
To me, East End refers to the former “blue collar” culture of an area where steelworkers lived closer to the factory, which provided plentiful good employment, and the strong union culture that came from those neighbourhoods.
That culture is no longer homogeneous in any East Hamilton neighbourhood, and today’s East Hamilton neighbourhood cultures are guided more by recent waves of new Hamiltonians from the 905 and Toronto than social class.
I use “East Hamilton” for stories east of Gage Avenue, but mostly past Ottawa Street. I personally feel that Ottawa Street belongs to both East and Central Hamilton.
Ottawa Street also serves as the boundary between Wards 3 and 4, but I’ve never found ward boundaries to be useful for splitting geography in the Lower City.
Hamilton Police have a divisional boundary at Sherman Avenue, causing incidents at Sherman sometimes to be called East End.
I can’t quite define “East End” in my mind.
I could during my childhood when there was greenfield on the Hamilton side of the Stoney Creek border. Now, Hamilton and Stoney Creek’s border is a paper boundary for the most part. (More on this boundary below)
If there is an “East End”, surely its the area east of the Red Hill Valley?
However, I don’t hear people living north of Queenston Road from the Valley to Centennial Parkway (which I still call “Highway 20”) refer to themselves as “East End”.
South of Queenston, they don’t either.
South of King, the “Davis Creek” name is taking hold among those who identify with Hamilton and other parts of East Hamilton here identify themselves with Stoney Creek.
East of Highway 20, there is Riverdale. This neighbourhood is clear in its identity as Riverdale.
There is no area which I can clearly identify as “East End” today.
What is the east boundary of East Hamilton, and when does it become Stoney Creek?
This is my favourite boundary because of how the political boundary is not disputed, but the localisms are.
I ran in Ward 5 for School Board Trustee in 2000, and this was the first time I realized just how strongly some residents feel about an affinity towards Stoney Creek – despite officially living in Hamilton.
The delivery area of The Stoney Creek News offers a good boundary for those living within the political boundary of Hamilton who identify as being in Stoney Creek.
When I went door-to-door during the 2000 election, people living east of Quigley Road and south of Greenhill Avenue in the Vincent neighbourhood tended to lean towards saying they lived in Stoney Creek. (see map below)
The developments east of Greenhill in the Gershome neighbourhood are mostly post-2000 era construction. (The last of that gap between East Hamilton and Stoney Creek that I knew growing up)
The homes that were in Gershome when I ran in 2000 identified more with Stoney Creek than Hamilton from my subjective experience.
Many of my friends from Glendale Secondary School lived east of Nash Road between Queenston and King. All of them identified with Hamilton.
Going door to door, I didn’t encounter many people in that neighbourhood referring to themselves as being part of Stoney Creek.
I wonder if, like the homes north of Queenston, this is because they are well connected by transit to Hamilton proper, and most of the homes were built a few decades ago.
Riverdale is interesting because the boundary between Hamilton and Stoney Creek isn’t Queenston Road itself. Instead, it runs along an old survey line just north of the street.
All the apartment buildings and businesses on the north side of Queenston are in Stoney Creek. (9 Riverdale Drive is also in Stoney Creek on the northwest corner of Queenston and Riverdale)
Everything else north of Queenston Road is in Hamilton’s Riverdale neighbourhood.
I find that the residents of detached homes in Riverdale—especially those east of the Stoney Creek waterway—identify with Stoney Creek.
Residents of the apartment buildings along Queenston Road west of the waterway lean towards identifying with Hamilton.
This may be partly explained because street addresses along Queenston Road in Stoney Creek continue their numbering from Hamilton side
There is fierce pride in Riverdale as an identity among the apartment buildings south of Barton Street and west of Lake Avenue.
I write Riverdale for the apartment buildings within Hamilton, I describe the apartment buildings as being in Stoney Creek near Eastgate Square, and the detached homes as “in Riverdale along the Stoney Creek border.”
Eastgate Square is almost always referred to as being in Stoney Creek. Except for a sliver of the parking lot at Centennial and Queenston, the entire mall is on the Hamilton side of the boundary. The mall self-identifies as Stoney Creek.
Another interesting localism is the naming of the portions of Stoney Creek above the escarpment.
Is it Upper Stoney Creek or Stoney Creek Mountain?
Growing up, I always heard it referred to Upper Stoney Creek. Its neighbourhoods as Valley Park or Satellite City.
I never heard Stoney Creek Mountain.
A Google search of the City of Hamilton website shows a fairly even divide between the two terms with 79 results for “Upper Stoney Creek” and 61 results for “Stoney Creek Mountain”.
Over at TheSpec we find 517 results for “Upper Stoney Creek” and only 59 results for “Stoney Creek Mountain”.
A search of the Stoney Creek News finds 365 results for “Upper Stoney Creek” and only 29 results for “Stoney Creek Mountain”
Most of the “Stoney Creek Mountain” usages are more recent, indicating a possible change in terminology that could be reflective of the increased inflow of new Hamiltonians or the direct connection of Upper Stoney Creek to Hamilton Mountain following growth that came with completion of the Red Hill Valley Parkway.
A search of the Hamilton Spectator archives going back to 1991 finds 538 results for “Upper Stoney Creek” and 266 for “Stoney Creek Mountain”.
I’m sticking with Upper Stoney Creek for now, but accept our localisms change.
I expect Stoney Creek Mountain will become dominant, especially with growth in Binbrook creating more of an east-west flow of people on the escarpment compared to the past when residents of Upper Stoney Creek had to travel down Highway 20 to Eastgate for shopping and services.
Hamilton Mountain is interesting to cover for me as I lived on the Mountain when nearly everything south of Limeridge Road was active farmland. There were farms north of Limeridge Road to the east of Upper Ottawa as well in the early 1990s.
Today, the Mountain is fully developed with the exception of a few pockets in Ward 8 south of Stone Church Road. Stone Church Road and Rymal Road are both busy arteries and traffic on the Mountain seems much busier to me than the Lower City.
What are the neighbourhoods of the Hamilton Mountain?
I tend to use the divide the Mountain by east, central, and west using the ward boundaries with Ward 6 being east, Ward 7 being central, and Ward 8 being west.
Within Ward 6, I use the Linc, Kenilworth Access, and Mohawk Sports Park as key landmarks. As Mountain streets are on a grid pattern, I’ll almost always note the nearest major intersection.
For Ward 7, the Linc and Limeridge Mall are major landmarks. Stories in the Concession Business Improvement Area are noted as being there. I’ve seen Concession referred to as the North Mountain. I find the term confusing and don’t use it. Major intersections are noted in most stories.
Ward 8 has the Linc and Mohawk College. Major intersections are noted in most stories.
I’m just going to say it, I can’t stand the term “West End” that is sometimes used in local media. There’s Westdale, West Hamilton, Ainslie Wood.
West of the Downtown, I use the neighbourhood names for Strathcona and Kirkendall. Both have strong neighbourhood identities.
West of the 403, it’s either Westdale, Ainslie Wood, Main West for the stretch of multi-res buildings approaching Wilson Street, and McMaster for the campus itself.
I lived in Dundas for a year, in University Gardens.
For terminology, I’ll note University Gardens, Pleasant Valley, and Downtown Dundas as neighbourhoods. Otherwise, I’m noting location by citing the nearest major street such as Governors Rd, Syderham Rd, York Rd, or King St.
Downtown Stoney Creek, Upper Stoney Creek, and Valley Park are my choices for the older parts of Stoney Creek. For lower Stoney Creek, I tend to use the nearest major north-south road as the landmark.
Winona, of course, gets referred to as Winona. This is all of Stoney Creek east of Lewis Road.
I don’t wish to be barred from the Peach Festival for daring to call it East Stoney Creek. Long-time Winona residents often remind me how they fought against amalgamation with the Town of Stoney Creek in the 1970s. (Don’t ask them what they think of the 2000 amalgamation)
Tapleytown in Upper Stoney Creek is referred to as such, with a description of its location.
Here’s a question I haven’t answered, where does Binbrook end and Glanbrook begin?
With the rapid growth of the Binbrook urban area, this question has become harder to answer. Officially, Glanbrook is the agricultural area of the area south of Hamilton and Stoney Creek.
Substantial areas of this farm land is zoned within the urban boundary expansion.
For purposes of my stories, I’ll use Binbrook for the existing urban area, and proposed developments.
Mount Hope is clearly defined.
For the reminder of Glanbrook, I’ll use reference points such as Highway 6, major intersections, and proximity to Binbrook and Mount Hope to describe location.
I use the Ancaster Meadowlands for the newer parts of Ancaster east of the 403, Old Ancaster for the downtown area of Old Ancaster.
Major intersections are used for other areas of Ancaster.
Alberton, Carluke, and Jerseyville are referred to by their community names in stories, reflecting their continuing unique identities. Duff’s Corner’s remains a historical landmark at the intersection of the former Highways 2 and 52.
Flamborough is many communities: Carlisle, Copetown, Freelton, Greensville, Lynden, Millgrove, Rockton, Sheffield, and Waterdown.
There are official boundaries for each of these communities.
Generally, I’ll use the community that individuals in my stories self-identify with. Someone may be just outside of the boundaries of a rural settlement, but still identify with it.
I’ll use major intersections to try to place stories.
I’m put out my view of Hamilton’s localism. I’m sure many of yours may differ.
I’m especially interested in what your thoughts are for local boundaries in the former municipalities.
Thanks for reading.

created: February 13, 2015


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Statement from Joey Coleman on Current Matters at City Hall – March 4, 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

March 4, 2015
I have remained silent through this difficult period until now, and am issuing this statement as a result of my concerns about ongoing discussions involving Council.  Like our provincial Ombudsman Mr. Marin, I take issue with Mr. Basse’s flawed process and final report, which ultimately maligns my character including false accusations about my approaches to covering current events at City Hall.  As a result I have experienced duress including concerns for my livelihood as an honest journalist covering municipal matters.
Basse’s report must be rejected and rescinded from the public record, and a new process may be required.
Also I have been advised that the Ontario Provincial Police are investigating these matters, and I am fully cooperating with the OPP investigation. Out of respect for due process, I will not make any further comment.
I wish to thank all who have offered support during this difficult time. I remain committed to municipal transparency and plan in due course to return to covering City Hall per my plan outlined at Raise the Hammer: http://raisethehammer.org/article/2511/funding_watchdog_journalism_and_the_1_internet_rule:_my_plan_to_become_sustainable_and_grow


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Thank You for Your Support! – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

March 6, 2015
Thank you everyone who supported my journalism during the past 10 days. I am so grateful to all who made our crowdfunding a success and are helping me towards sustainability for ThePublicRecord.ca
The support was doubly important to me personally in light of recent events. Please see my statement on these matters here.  A special note of thanks to the many journalists across Canada who have shown me support.
I’ll place the orders for new equipment this weekend, and update you as soon as I can.
– Joey Coleman


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City to Designate Charlton Hall as a Heritage Building – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 25, 2015
Most recently the home of one of Hamilton’s essential social service agencies, the City plans to designate Charlton Hall as a heritage building due to its cultural significance.
The City’s Notice of Intention to Designate states:
“The buildings at 52 and 56 Charlton Avenue West illustrate two themes of significance to the history of Hamilton – first, their construction at the turn of the twentieth century by wealthy local landowners who were developing the Durand neighbourhood as a place for upper-class dwellings; and second, their adaptation in the mid-twentieth century by a non-governmental association and the City for innovative social housing geared to teenaged girls. The property’s architectural value derives from the period when the buildings were in single-family use.”
“Their extant features provide insight into the domestic tastes of affluent Hamiltonians at the turn of the twentieth century and demonstrate the capacity of Hamilton-based architects and craftsmen to offer high style to their patrons. The property’s historical value relates to both the period of single-family use and the time when it served the Big Sister Association of Hamilton as the residence known as Charlton Hall.”
Charlton Hall is actually two connected buildings, one at 52 Charlton Avenue West and the other at 56 Charlton West.
52 Charlton was built in 1896:
“Initiated by John H. Park, who owned a great house nearby. He was partner in the pan-Canadian wholesale grocery business of Lucas, Park & Company. The single-detached house was first owned by Jane Bell, wife of insurance agent John Bell.”
56 Charlton was also built in 1896, for the daughter of Andrew Trew Wood – Mary Andrewina Hobson.
Wood was a partner in “Wood, Vallance & Company, which probably conducted the largest wholesale hardware business in Canada at the turn of the twentieth century.”
Mary Hobson had married Robert Hobson in 1891. Mr. Hobson “rose to the presidency of the amalgamated Steel Company of Canada (Stelco) – the largest, most diversified steel maker in Canada by the end of the First World War.”
After Mary’s death, 56 Charlton was acquired by another of Andrew Wood’s daughters, Edith Hamilton Olmsted, who leased the building for 32 years.
Before her death, Olmsted conveyed the building to the Big Sister Association of Hamilton.
In 1961, Charlton Hall opened as a temporary home for teenage girls at 56 Charlton. In 1970, it expanded and was linked to 52 Charlton.
For the next four-and-a-half decades, Charlton Hall operated as an essential emergency and social service as a mental health treatment centre with eight beds and numerous outpatient services.
I wrote a feature piece for Hamilton Magazine on Charlton Hall, most of the following paragraphs are drawn from that piece. Read it in it’s entirety on Hamilton Magazine’s website here: A City’s Shame
The building was transferred to the City of Hamilton and rent was $1 per year until 1979 when Charlton Hall started receiving stable provincial funding.
The arrangement was reflective of the Councils of the ’50s and ’60s — the City would provide and care for facilities used by social service agencies serving children and youth.
In return, those agencies would provide higher quality services than the City could itself.
The arrangement worked well for both parties until the mid-90s. When the City attempted to raise the rent in the ’90s, Big Sisters successfully prevented the increase. Charlton Hall continued to operate, but without a lease.
With the “new” City of Hamilton, City Hall is less interested in being landlord to non-city social services and has been divesting itself of non-core real estate.
City Council allowed the condition of the buildings deteriorate, declared the properties surplus and sought to have the social service agency move out of the property.
What followed was one of the most disgusting episodes in Hamilton’s political history as the City stigmatized the girls as it fought to keep the now-named Lynwood-Charlton Hall from moving to a new nearby location on Augusta Street.
After an Ontario Municipal Board ruling, Lynwood-Charlton Hall moved and the buildings on Charlton Avenue West are now vacant.
What is the future of the buildings?
This is an interesting question because the City continues to consider them surplus, and could sell them after designation.
As designated buildings, they will qualify for grants and tax incentives for the repairs that will be required to make the buildings usable or livable.
With the buildings exercising zoning and close proximity to St. Joseph’s Hospital, I expect they’ll be very attractive to a medical practice office.
“The DNA has been waiting since September of 2014 for this designation and of course we are pleased with the designation”, says Janice Brown, President of the Durand Neighbourhood Association. “Adaptive reuse of the 2 outstanding homes is crucial to our Built Heritage in Durand.”
“Protecting our heritage is one of our 5 priorities outlined in our vision and Mission Statement for the Durand Neighbourhood Association.”
Brown says the DNA is seeking a neighbourhood wide heritage district to protect the character of the area.
No date is set for the final designation vote at Council’s Planning Committee. The 30-day objection period ends on May 24, 2015. The first Planning Committee meeting date following the deadline is June 2nd.


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Feds to Hamilton: Take the Lift Bridge or We're Selling It – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 24, 2015
The Harper government has an ultimatum for the cities of Hamilton and Burlington: take the Burlington Canal Lift Bridge or it will be sold.
In a 5:31pm Friday news release, the Harper government announced a new program called the “Ports Asset Transfer Program” which will sell Transport Canada-owned port facilities to the private sector if provinces or municipalities don’t agree to take responsibility for facilities the federal government no longer wishes to maintain.
On the block is the Hamilton-Burlington Lift Bridge, officially called the Burlington Canal Lift Bridge.
Lisa Raitt’s, Minister of Transport, news release backgrounder states municipalities will have a 60-day period this summer to decide to purchase the Lift Bridge from the federal government.
If Hamilton and Burlington decide to not purchase the bridge (or the province for them), Transport Canada will offer the bridge for sale to the Hamilton Port Authority and the private sector.
On Tuesday (April 21), Burlington and Hamilton Council’s joint Greater Bay Area Committee met. One of the agenda items was the Lift Bridge negotiations.
Hamilton City Manager Chris Murray said communication was ongoing with the Federal government, and that both City Managers were awaiting additional financial information from the federal government before providing recommendations to the respective City Councils.
Murray made no statement about potential privatization or a forthcoming ultimatum.
He did state that he expected to have more information from the Federal government shortly and that a report would be forthcoming to Council.
Expect this issue to quickly be added to the next City Council General Issues Committee meeting on May 6th.


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Hamilton City Council for April 22, 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 22, 2015
Hamilton City Council meets to debate and ratify the standing committee work of the past two weeks, debate a partnership with the public school board to build new joint schools/community centres in rural Flamborough, and a motion from Ward 4 Councillor Sam Merulla to protect against the merger of Horizon Utilities.
Live video starts after 5pm.
Due to restrictions imposed by City Clerks, I’m banned from arriving prior to the start of meetings. The restrictions are based upon Council’s 13-2 endorsement of Integrity Commissioner Earl Basse’s report which falsely claim I was eavesdropping by standing in the public lobby outside of Council Chambers when a member of City Council used physical force against me.


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Hamilton Council – Board of Health for April 20, 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 20, 2015
Hamilton City Council meets as Board of Health to discuss wood burning fireplaces and receive an extensive staff report on the health impact study for the proposed Port Fuels Energy-from-Waste Plant at Pier 15.
Live video starts at 1:30pm


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Hamilton PanAm Stadium Sub-Committee for April 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 26, 2015
Hamilton’s PanAm Stadium Sub-Committee’s monthly update on the still-not-complete stadium occurs Monday.
The committee will receive updates on the City’s economic development plans for attracting visiting business leaders to invest in Hamilton, and the “All Things Pan Am Initiative”.
The Public Record will record the entire meeting.
Staff are recommending funding 47 community events with $85,000 in funds – $50,000 from the PanAm budget and $35,000 from the City’s unallocated capital reserve.
The full list of funded events is included in the full agenda package for the meeting.


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Heritage Permit Review Sub-Committee for April 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 25, 2015
The Heritage Permit Review Sub-Committee will review six permit applications:
Full Agenda as a PDF


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In Legal Standoff Over Community Mailboxes, Canada Post Draws First – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 24, 2015
Canada Post is asking the Courts to intervene and strike down a new municipal bylaw targeting Canada Post – and Hamilton taxpayers could be on the hook for costs if Canada Post wins as expected.
“Canada Post regrets that court action is required to address the recent impasse regarding the installation of Community Mailboxes”, reads a Canada Post statement issued this morning.
“Canada Post has the exclusive jurisdiction over postal services in Canada and has the legal authority to install Community Mailboxes on municipally-owned property.”
Canada Post’s legal action follows steps by the City of Hamilton to take Canada Post to court first for violating the new municipal bylaw.
The by-law, an series of special amendments to the Roads – Equipment Installation Bylaw passed last week by City Council at an emergency Council meeting on Wednesday, April 15.
At the regular Council meeting this Wednesday, Council passed a special resolution to take Canada Post to court for contravening the bylaw.
The bylaw requires Canada Post to complete a municipal permit process prior to beginning the installation of approximately 1,000 community mailboxes in Wards 6 to 9 during the next few weeks as part of CP’s plan to discontinue door-to-door mail delivery.
The permit fee per mailbox is $200. Canada Post is offering the City $50 per box for its incremental costs.
(City staff estimate 4,000 boxes will be required for city-wide implementation by Canada Post)
Canada Post is planning to end door-to-door mail delivery on June 15, 2015 across Hamilton Mountain and urban Upper Stoney Creek.
The City of Hamilton bylaw requires Canada Post to pay the City $100,000 to begin the permit process.
The City will use the funds to create a new system for processing Canada Post permit applications and to hire staff to begin the process of reviewing each location. The City expects to spend two hours for each permit location.
The Bylaw – if the City wins in court against Canada Post – will substantially delay for years Canada Post’s plans to implement community community mailboxes in the older communities of Hamilton.
For it’s part, Canada Post ignored the bylaw.
In the past week, sub-contractors have installed concrete pads and community mailboxes across the Mountain.
https://twitter.com/AnnRN72/status/590974403300601857
Federal and provincial laws require municipalities to grant utilities or similar corporations access to public property to operate their services.
The laws do allow municipalities to impose conditions of access and to implement reasonable standards.
Hamilton is becoming more assertive in enforcing standards and new municipal access agreements.
At present, the City is fighting Bell Canada at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to force Bell to sign onto and obey by a new access agreement.
The City is empowered by provincial law to regulate to ensure “the protection of property, the prevention of nuisance, and the health, safety  and well – being of its inhabitants” and plans to cite this power in court.
The City’s new bylaw contains the standard bylaw passage stating “where there is a conflict in this respect between federal or provincial legislation and this By-law, the federal  or provincial legislation prevails.”
On the surface – and I Am Not A Lawyer – this appears to settle the outcome of the conflict between the Canada Post Corporation Act and the Municipal By-Law.
The City of Hamilton is engaged in a long running legal suit against the Federal Government over an environmental assessment that was ordered prior to the construction of the Red Hill Valley Parkway.
The suit, which is entering its 11th year, has cost the City of Hamilton at least $3-million dollars in what a judge criticized as experimental litigation without regard to cost:
“Counsel for the City has acted as if it had a client with inexhaustible resources to finance endless experimental litigation and that it could conduct litigation against the federal government with impunity.” (Paragraph 29)
This year, the City lost more motions and added at least $39,500 to the ever growing cost to local taxpayers. This is just what the City had to pay in costs to the other side, it doesn’t account for the money paid to the City’s lawyers.
Retired lawyer David Harvey (DISCLOSURE: Harvey is a friend of mine) wrote on his personal blog of the high legal hurdles the City of Hamilton faces in winning its lawsuit.
His assessment is the City faces a near impossibility in winning the suit.
Council voted in March to continue pursuing the suit, which has yet to reach trial.
Costs continue to raise in the case. Other than Hamilton City Council and the lawyer Council is paying, nobody has given the case much of a chance of success.
It’s said that local government is the most responsive level of government. This could be true, it is definitely the easiest level of government to get your voice heard at.
Hamiltonians, the local Labour Movement, and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers turned out numerous times at City Hall to protest against the end of door-to-door mail delivery.
Where the Federal government was not listening, City Council did.
Over the past year, Council has repeatedly protested the change, requested and received a delegation from Canada Post on the issue, made attempting to stop the installation of community mailboxes a staff priority matter, and then focused on regulating the installation of mailboxes.
Council’s decision to pass the special bylaw and commit an undetermined amount of funds to the legal battle is a continuation of Council’s opposition to the end of door to door delivery.
One City Councillor is confirmed to run in the federal election later this year, and another is expected to enter the race.
Ward 7 Councillor Scott Duvall is running as the NDP candidate in Hamilton Mountain, and Ward 6 Councillor Tom Jackson is considering running for the Liberals in the riding.
Both Councillors will benefit from being strong opponents to the end of door-to-door delivery.
Unless a legal surprise occurs, the City of Hamilton will be on the hook for both its legal costs and the legal costs of Canada Post.
Council is engaged in an interesting legal experiment, one which is political and the outcome will be measured by how Hamiltonians respond to the cost of the challenge.
As one national columnist put it:
“So good luck, Hamilton. You’ll need it.”


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Mayor Eisenberger's 2015 State of the City Address – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 24, 2015
Anticipation was high for Mayor Fred Eisenberger’s first State of the City address as a second-term Mayor to the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber held the event at one of the largest venues downtown, LIUNA Station.
The event sold out, with approximately 350 people paying $50 per ticket for the breakfast event.
The Mayor stood in front of the crowd, told his story of arriving in Hamilton as a immigrant when LIUNA station was the primary rail hub for Hamilton.
His address – which lasted approximately 23 minutes – outlined the City’s 2015 budget initiatives, past Council approved planning changes, the creation of a new Open For Business coordinator, the importance of Light Rail Transit and his planned “citizen’s jury” for reviewing the City’s mass transit plans.
His comments on LRT were clear, much more so than during the 2014 election campaign.
Following the speech, the question and answer session moderated by Chamber CEO Keanin Loomis proved fruitful.
Mayor Eisenberger answered questions on provincial funding for LRT, Eisenberger’s vision for the citizen’s jury on transit, what international city does Eisenberger look at as a model for redevelopment of Hamilton’s waterfront, moving CN from the waterfront, the proposed Pier 15 gasification plant, the agricultural sector, and more.
There was definitely a feeling of optimism in the room, which attentively listened to the speech.
When it was over, people continued with their day.


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Physician Recruitment Sub-Committee April 29 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 29, 2015
Council’s Physician Recruitment and Retention Sub-Committee will elect a new chair and vice-chair, form a new sub-committee to the sub-committee, and receive updated 2014 statistics.
City Clerks withheld the agenda from the public until the day before the meeting, preventing questions related to the 2014 annual statistics prior to the meeting.
Members of the Committee are: Conley, Eisenberger, Merulla, Whitehead.
Full Agenda Package
The Public Record will record the full meeting and upload as soon as possible.


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Public Info Session on PanAm Games Traffic Restrictions Wednesday at City Hall – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 25, 2015
The City is holding a public information session Wednesday night at City Hall in Council Chambers starting at 6pm, for two hours.
From the City’s press statement:
This summer, Ontario will host the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games — the largest international multi-sport Games ever held in Canada.
Hamilton will host all men’s and women’s soccer competitions at the new CIBC Hamilton Pan Am Soccer Stadium (Tim Hortons Field).
To help keep athletes, spectators, business owners and residents moving safely and efficiently during the Games, some temporary traffic measures will be implemented.
On Wednesday, April 29, come meet members of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015), the Ministry of Transportation, the Integrated Security Unit and the City of Hamilton to learn more about how your community may be affected by the Games.
Hamilton Games Information Session for Residents
Date: Wednesday, April 29
Location: Hamilton City Hall Council Chambers, 71 Main Street West
Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Space is limited. Groups are encouraged to send only one or two representatives.
If you have any accessibility requirements or if you cannot attend and have specific concerns, please send an email to residentinfo@toronto2015.org.
We look forward to meeting you.


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City Will Issue Warnings, Focus on Education Before Fines for Smoking on Patios – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 29, 2015
I chatted with Public Health’s Kevin McDonald last week about the City’s smoking ban in public parks, which lead to a discussion of how the City will enforce the new provincial ban on patio smoking.
I started the conversation with McDonald looking for a clarification on the City’s continuing exception of two outdoor patios in City parks from it’s park smoking ban.
When the smoking ban in parks was originally implemented, the City felt the spirit of the law was not served by banning smoking on two restaurant patios.
Hutch’s at Bayfront Park and the Lookout Lounge at Mohawk Sports Park are exempted from the park smoking ban bylaw to allow for patrons to smoke on the restaurant patios.
The new provincial rules overrule the bylaw, and smoking is no longer allowed in these two sites.
McDonald explained how the new smoking ban defines patios as an ancillary use to food service – meaning that during the Festival of Friends on the private Ancaster Fair Grounds, smoking will not be legal at the picnic tables in the food service area.
The City isn’t planning an enforcement blitz, and will focus upon education of the public and offering smoking cessation information.
It will be interesting to see how the bylaw is enforced, and how quickly public attitudes change to accept it. It will probably be much harder to enforce than the indoor smoking ban – the boundaries are not clearing defined and people react differently to government regulations outdoors.


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Response to Mayor's Claim of Misleading Reporting – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 29, 2015
Mayor Fred Eisenberger made a claim that I engaged in false, incomplete reporting today when I stated on Twitter that he was unable to attend a meeting.
@JoeyColeman Thank you for sharing Joey. You might also add ,as a " fair and balanced"  reporter that I am on staycation. #hamOnt
— Fred Eisenberger (@FredEisenberger) April 29, 2015
“Mayor @FredEisenberger not able to attend Physician Sub-Cmte mtg. Chris Cutler from his office observing for Mayor’s Office. #YHMgov”
The Mayor responded by stating:
“@JoeyColeman Thank you for sharing Joey. You might also add ,as a ” fair and balanced”  reporter that I am on staycation. #hamOnt”
I’m not sure if the Mayor’s complaint is that I stated he was “not able” to attend the meeting or that I failed to include that he was on vacation.
The statement reported is true. Mayor Eisenberger was not present, his staff stated he was “not available” and by sitting in the Mayor’s seat, his staff were representing him.
That the Mayor is at home on staycation is not relevant to the facts of the statement. If the Mayor were not able to attend due to circumstances outside of his control – such as an Act of God, unexpected event, or injury – a follow up story or statement would be required.
The report, published on Twitter, is accurate and does not require retraction, correction, or clarification.
The report was in keeping with standard practice of The Public Record to provide information on which members of Council attend meetings and to include when the Mayor sends a representative in their place.


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Stoney Creek Home Suffers Extensive Damage in $300,000 Fire – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 26, 2015
The Hamilton Fire Department says a late Saturday evening fire at 1 Boyne Court in Stoney Creek caused $300,000 and the Office of the Fire Marshal is assisting to investigate the cause of the fire.
There were no injuries.
Full HFD press statement from Public Information Officer Claudio Mostacci:
Fire Damages Stoney Creek Home
HAMILTON, ON – April 26, 2015 – Hamilton Fire Department responded to a report of a house fire at 1 Boyne CT, Stoney Creek at approximately 10:24 p.m. last night. Upon arrival firefighters found the occupants outside of the house and confirmed a well involved fire with flames showing from the garage of this two storey detached house and the fire was extending into the 2 floor. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire after an aggressive interior and exterior attack limiting the spread of fire into the home.
Damage to the home is extensive and has been estimated at approximately $300,000. There were no injuries reported and the Office of the Fire Marshal will be attending to assist in determining the cause of the fire.
For information on fire safety, contact our Fire Prevention Division at 905 546-2424 ext. 1380, weekdays between 8:30am and 4:30pm or visit our web-site at www.hamilton.ca/fire.
-30-
Claudio Mostacci
Public Information Officer
Hamilton Fire Department
Fire Prevention Division
2nd Floor – 55 King William Street, Hamilton, ON L8R 1A2


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ThePublicRecord.ca Coverage Plan – Covering School Boards to Respect Due Process – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 1, 2015
I wish to thank you – my friends, readers, supporters, and patrons – for your support.
To ensure I do not undermine the current Ontario Provincial Police investigation into matters I will not be returning to covering City Hall at the present time.
ThePublicRecord.ca will resume coverage of local affairs on April 15, during the OPP investigation, coverage will be focused on our two local school boards.
Unfortunately, as a small startup news outlet, I’m limited in the options and resources available to respond to this situation.
This is one of the challenges of working to find a new model for sustainable local public interest journalism – I’m the only staff member for ThePublicRecord.ca.
Once the legal process is complete, coverage of City Hall will resume.
Per my previous statement, I am unable to comment further on current matters.
It may be a cliche, but there there is nothing more important that the education of our children by our public school systems.
Much like civic government, watchdog coverage of our education system decreased in the past decade as corporate media consolidation removed beat reporters.
he Catholic School Board is very rarely covered, and I will be providing the first ever live video look into their meetings. With a budget over $300-million per year and nearly 30,000 students, the Catholic School Board needs watchdog journalism.
The Hamilton-Wentworth District School budget is nearing $500 million per year and with approximately 50,000 students, move coverage of the HWDSB will enable us to be better informed about the Board, its role in our community, and the challenges we must face as a community related to school closures and changing demographics.
Coverage will resume on April 15 with live video and coverage of the public board’s Finance and Facilities Committee.
It is a goal of ThePublicRecord.ca to become sustainable to hire Hamiltonians as journalists covering our civic affairs and to expand coverage to our education system. As the site reaches sustainability, we will continue coverage of education with new staff when I’m finally able to return to covering City Hall.
Thank you again for your support, I look forward to resuming coverage and the privilege of continuing to cover our City as Hamilton’s independent reader-funded journalist.


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What's Happening With Hamilton's LRT Project? – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 25, 2015
Hamilton’s Light Rail Transit project isn’t in the provincial budget, but for some reason, provincial Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca is on a public relations offensive building expectations of a big announcement in a few weeks time.
Del Luca even had his Press Secretary email all of Hamilton’s online media the following statement (bold text as sent by Minister’s staff) on Thursday at 6:32pm:
Hi there,
Just wanted to make that you saw Minister Del Duca’s tweet this afternoon:
Steven Del Duca @StevenDelDuca
#HamOnt, I look forward to visiting in the coming weeks with more details about what our $31.5B Moving Ontario Forward plan means for you.
5:47 PM – 23 Apr 2015 (https://twitter.com/StevenDelDuca/status/591342673761542144)
Here’s a comment from the Minister from earlier this week before the budget, and today’s budget reaffirms what he says below:
Ontario’s commitment to full capital funding for rapid transit in Hamilton is steadfast and unwavering, and in the coming weeks, I look forward to being in a position to share more details about how our plan will help build up all of Ontario – including Hamilton.
Best,
Patrick
_
Patrick Searle
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transportation
77 Wellesley Street West
3 Floor, Ferguson Block
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 2T5
While Kitchener/Waterloo, Mississauga/Brampton, and Toronto are getting significant light rail transit investments and are included in the budget, Hamilton’s getting a promise of “Rapid Transit” starting in the 2018-2019 budget year.
There are no straight answers in the budget, and plenty of changing signals from City Council to the province, and the province to the City.
Ryan McGreal’s take “Mississauga-Brampton LRT Surges Past Hamilton to Funding Approval” is the definitive take on the developments of the past two weeks.
What does it all mean?
I’d love to write a prediction, but the LRT file is so confused and convoluted, I have no idea what to predict.
My expectations are rising with the unusual outreach from Minister Del Duca’s office, but I can’t get past the fact that in the budget Hamilton’s not “Light Rail Transit” and the budget commitment is years down the road and that means its subject to change.
Of course, I’ll broadcast live whenever the Minister visits Hamilton to make his promised annnouncement.


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Winter Road Salt Guidelines Need Review to Protect Food Chain: YorkU Profs – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 22, 2015
A peer-reviewed study recently completed by two professors finds the current environmental guidelines for road salt may not be restrictive enough to protect water fleas and could “wipe out” the species which is a key foundation of the aquatic food chain.
Water fleas (or Daphnia) are an important part of the ecosystem because they play an integral role in water quality and are a source of food. “These water fleas are like little living lawnmowers in our lakes. They ‘graze’ the entire volume of lakes many times during the summer, passing what they’ve eaten up the food chain to fish,” explains Professor Emeritus Norman Yan, senior scholar in the Department of Biology.
The study, conducted at Yan’s lab in the Department of Biology in the Faculty of Science, suggests that lake and highway authorities consider adjusting road salt use protocols to protect aquatic life such as the water flea by taking the nutritional status of the lakes into account. In particular, the study highlights the importance revising of the Water Quality Guideline for chloride, particularly for lakes near winter-maintained roads on the Canadian Shield that tend to have very low nutrient levels.
Environment Canada declared road salt to be toxic, when excessively used, to the environment in 2001 finding “high releases of road salts were having an adverse effect on freshwater ecosystems, soil, vegetation and wildlife”.
This declaration lead to regulations to decrease the amount of salt entering watershed and the requirement for Salt Management Plans to minimize salt usage. (Here’s Halton’s Plan)
Winter road salt levels are an increasing concern for Ontario municipalities as climate change is causing more unpredictable winters.
The winter of 2013/14 was particularly difficult with numerous freeze/thaw cycles resulting in high road salt usage and a shortage of supplies.
Road salt is a balancing act between the environment, cost, and liability.
Municipalities are forced to balance two different competing legal liabilities.
A recent case, covered by ThePublicRecord in January, resulted in the County of Lambton being ordered to compensate a farmer $106,000 for damage caused by road salt blowing and draining from a public highway onto his property.
On the flip side, there is a legal requirement for municipalities to maintain roads in a safe driving condition during winter weather, and the fear – expressed in the shortage article linked above – of legal liability for failing to use enough salt to make roads safe.
Road salt is a growing matter of municipal concern, and one I’ll be keeping an eye on to see what develops – if anything – from this study and the court decision in Lambton County.


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Anglican Diocese Approves Moving Forward with 8-Storey Mixed-Use Building Behind James North Cathedral – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

May 23, 2015
The Anglican Diocese of Niagara’s – headquartered at the Cathedral on James Street North – Synod approved moving forward with a multi-million redevelopment of their Cathedral grounds at 252-254 James Street North and 270 Hughson Street North.
The plan, which is still in early stages, proposes a eight storey mixed use building in the rear of the property facing onto Hughson Street.
Revenue from the condo portion of the development will fund the operations of Cathedral Place including restoration of the heritage-designated Cathedral and school house facade
Below are details on the project first reported by The Public Record editor Joey Coleman in September.
The following was originally posted to JoeyColeman.ca on September 14, 2014
(DISCLOSURES: I pay market rent for my office space in a building partially owned by the architect.
I’m on the Beasley Neighbourhood Association Planning Advisory Group which will review this file in the coming months. I reside in the Beasley Neighbourhood.)
Hamilton’s new building boom is seeing the Anglican Cathedral proposing an interesting mixed-use 8 storey building on the rear portion of their property and a neighbouring City of Hamilton municipal parking lot.
The development at 252-254 James Street North & 207 Hughson Street North was reviewed by the internal City staff group known as the Development Review Team.
DRT is the first preliminary step in the planning process. Developers approach the City with early concepts and receive feedback from various City divisions regarding the proposal. This serves to give developers the opportunity to change their plans to better conform with City and Provincial planning policies.
Once a planning file reaches DRT, it becomes a public document. At this early stage, information in the file is limited and very preliminary.
The planned type of residential – rental or condo, market or mixed – is not included in the file yet. (This is not required at DRT)
Primarily fronting onto Hughson Street, the floor plans show the first level has having a commercial focus, with the existing Cathedral day care centre remaining. There will be a “double heigh glass atrium” connecting the two heritage buildings on the Cathedral grounds which will run from James Street to Hughson Street.
There are plans for an courtyard (which appears to be outdoors) in the setback space betweent the new building and Cathedral.
Parking will be underground with 53 parking spaces planned, including the requirement to replace the City’s parking spots.
The following concept floor plans were submitted to the City (click to open docs), and are in the planning file.
A friendly reminder that the plans are in the early stages at DRT, and will be subject to change based upon City requirements and public feedback
In May 2014, Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr successfully passed a motion at City Council to authorize the sale of an undisclosed municipal parking lot to a planned development.
Officially, Councillor Farr is not allowed to disclose the surplus parking lot and the City will not confirm if they’ve agreed to sell the parking lot this development seeks to build upon.
The street address of 207 Hughson Street North is registered to the City of Hamilton as the address of its 1710 square metre parking.
Councillor Farr, in May, stated his hope the development of a City parking – with replacement parking built as part of a structure – will encourage the City to sell other parking lots to create increased vibrancy (and property taxes) in the Downtown Core.
The architects on the project are david premi Architects Inc.
David Premi, Principal of the firm, revealed a rendering of the project on Friday, September 12 at a PechaKucha talk as part of Supercrawl.
I recorded the entire event, and here’s a frame capture of the rendering:
See Architect David Premi’s mention of the project at 1:10:40 of this video
There is no timeline for the next stages of the planning process, with Council’s Planning Committee recessed for three-and-a-half months, it’s unlikely we’ll see this at Planning Committee until late winter or early spring.
The project will now be reviewed by the City’s Design Review Panel, l expect this will occur in October or November.
I’ll keep an eye on this file and update accordingly.


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Check of 684 Potential Unlicensed Businesses Finds Only 27 Requiring Licenses – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

May 18, 2015
A year after an internal audit review found 684 potentially unlicensed businesses, it turns out there was only 27 not licensed according to bylaws.
The City’s internal audit review office stated the City was potentially losing upwards of $130,000 per year, and City Council passed putting a full-time staff member onto
Of the 684, 277 obtained licenses after the snapshot data used from May 2013. Most of these businesses were listed as unlicensed because they were in the process of obtaining licenses. Contact with Public Health and Fire is common as part of the licensing process – creating the impression for internal audit these businesses were operating without licenses.
152 were businesses not requiring license, 191 are no longer operating, 27 were known to staff who and are in the courts for enforcement, and there were 4 duplicate address.
The staff follow-up report, written by Manager of Licensing and Permits Al Fletcher, agrees with the review recommendation to improve data tracking and to link the separate databases to better track licensing issues.


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Councillor Farr Wants to City to Take 65% of Hess Village Police Costs – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

May 18, 2015
UPDATE: Councillors voted to defer decision on Farr’s proposal pending more information from Hamilton Police. Councillors wish to have an update on costs, the necessity of the extra officers, and alternatives to sworn police officers. The matter will return to the next Planning Committee meeting on June 16.
Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr says paying for policing is hurting the ability of Hess Village bars to market themselves and attract customers – resulting in a drop of approximately 65 percent in patrons.
Farr proposes the City take on 65 percent of the annual $115,000 in extra policing costs incurred to deal with the problems of alcohol-influenced public disorder and violence in the Hess Village area during the bar nights of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Despite the extra policing, the number of incidents have created a public perception of Hess Village which is decreasing business.
This perception, combined with competition of Sarcoa nightclub, which leases from the Hamilton Waterfront Trust, resulted in the Village having a significant decrease in revenue last summer.
Farr sums the economic impact in his motion:
Hess Village, Hamilton’s only defined entertainment district, once employed approximately 500, now employs approximately 250 and the average number of patron’s during the patio season has decreased by approximately 65 percent
Farr hopes relieving the businesses of paid duty costs will enable them to put more funds into marketing and creating a Business Improvement Area to assist in recovering their businesses.
Paid Duty fees were imposed by Council in 2010 to address the increased need for police response to Hess Village and have been contested by the owners in Hess Village.
At present, owners are required to pay their paid duty fees which are then held in trust by the City of Hamilton pending the outcome of a court case challenging the paid duty bylaw.
Numerous owners have fallen behind on their paid duty fees – facing the risk of suspension of their local business license. (On Friday, May 22, the Hamilton Licensing Tribunal will deal with the matter of Ora Italian Grill & Bar which is behind on its paid duty fee payments.)
Councillor Farr’s motion will be debated at Planning Committee on May 19.


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Election Compliance Audit Committee to Consider Appeal of Conley Financial Disclosure – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

May 4, 2015
Hamilton’s Election Compliance Audit Committee (ECAC) meets Monday to consider if Ward 9 Councillor Doug Conley’s election return violated the Municipal Elections Act by not including information about how he funded his campaign.
Conley failed to list sources of income for this campaign with both the donor and self contribution information blank. (see images of return at end of article)
Without any declaration of income, the return does not provide for a calculation of surplus or deficit.
The return indicates there was no surplus, indicating that expenses of $17,164.99 were equal to campaign income.
The Municipal Act required Conley to hire an audit to review his campaign finances, as his campaign exceeded $10,000.
Conley’s auditor J. Dillane, a chartered accountant, approved Conley’s return as meeting the requirements of the Act.
ECAC is a citizen-appointee committee, with no politicians as members, which meets to review complaints regarding violations of the financial regulations of the Municipal Elections Act.
Cam Galindo, who ran for the Ward 9 seat and placed third, filed a complaint regarding the return:
Doug Conley’s financial statements provide no indication of where he gathered the $17,842.99 to fund his winning campaign in ward nine. The line for “contributions from candidate” is blank as are all the other donation categories, and no names of contributors – corporate, union or individual are provided. In addition there is no calculation of excess surplus or deficit. It is clear that the candidate failed to file a complete and accurate financial statement. It is also astonishing that a professional auditor would sign off on an incomplete ffnancial statement.
Conley states the lack of income information is a honest error and that he self-funded his entire campaign of $17,842.99 ($17,164.99 + 678.00 for the accounting and audit).
Conley will be required to provide proof to ECAC.
The Town Clerk in Ajax declared a seat vacant when the winning Council candidate filed a return that was non-compliant.
Ajax Ward 2 Councillor Renrick Ashby’s return failed to include an auditors report. The Town Clerk immediately declared the seat vacant and Ashby removed from office.
The Town’s position is that the Municipal Elections Act does not allow discretion regarding non-compliant returns.
Ashby appealed to the Superior Court of Justice, where Justice Stephen Bale ruled Ashby made an honest mistake and reinstated Ashby to Ajax’s Town Council.
Due to City Council’s endorsement of Integrity Commissioner Earl Basse’s report accusing The Public Record of “eavesdropping” in violation of the Criminal Code , the City Clerks Office has banned The Public Record from arriving prior to public meetings.
The effect of the ban is to prevent The Public Record from streaming public meetings outside of Council Chambers.


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Free Parking for Veterans, The Debate Returns to City Hall – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

May 10, 2015
Hamilton should discuss how the municipality can best honour and assist veterans to determine if free parking is the best means of advancing this goal.
City Council will discuss the latest proposal to expand free parking to all holders of veterans license plates during the June 17 General Issues Committee meeting.
Prior to the GIC, Tuesday’s Hamilton Veterans Committee meeting will make vote on their final recommendations to Council.
At present, any veteran with the official veterans’ license plate over the age of 60 can receive a City permit to park for free in municipal lots and at on-street parking spots.
In 2009, City staff estimated the cost of extending free parking to all veterans to be between $300,000 to $1.3-million dollars per year.
With the City’s limited resources, and jurisdiction, is this the best use of tax dollars and is it the most effective means of helping veterans?
What about housing, small business start-up grants, free transit passes as well as parking or an array of other options?
Currently, the City will issue a free parking permit to veterans over the age of 60 residing in Hamilton with provincial veterans license plates.
The latest attempt to give all veterans free parking originated with Ward 11 Councillor Brenda Johnson in March 2014.
Johnson says there are veterans under the age of 60 in her ward would have approached her about free parking.
It was discussed at the Veterans’ Advisory Committee on March 11, 2014. The Veterans’ Committee fully supports Johnson’s effort
Here’s the full video of the debate:
(Note: there were two meetings at the same time, I was recording this while covering another meeting)
Summary points from the debate:
“They’re a veteran, it doesn’t matter what age you are. You are a veteran, you choose to pick up that firearm and protect this country, you should be able to be treated the same way as everyone else – no matter what generation you came from.”
…
“We’ve got a 40-year-old man up in Mount Hope who can’t park for free but he’s been over for tour twice, and yet we have another gentleman in Binbrook he just worked in a warehouse for the Armed Forces and he gets to park for free and he’s sixty.”
The Canadian Parking Association informally surveyed cities across Canada in 2012 and only found a split on offering free parking for Veterans.
Many offer free parking at meters provide the veteran respects the paid time limit. (Full Listing on CPA’s post here)
Toronto offers free parking only on June 6 (D-Day Commemoration), on the day of the Warriors’ Day Parade, and November 11. Peterborough offers free parking and free transit passes.
This hasn’t been clearly articulated in any of the City Hall debates.
The primary thrust of the discussion is that it is a means of honouring the service of veterans – specifically, those who’ve served overseas.
As the Legion and Ministry of Transportation do not distinguish between honourable domestic or overseas service, the free parking will be offered to all veterans.
If the goal is solely to honour veterans, then the efficiency of implementation is not as much a concern – its designed to be symbolic.
If the goal is to help veterans, is free parking the means of doing so?
Free parking does not assist veterans who don’t drive. One of Hamilton’s most celebrated veterans was the late Honourable Lincoln Alexander. Alexander never held a drivers license.
Peterborough’s extension of free transit passes is a possible solution.
Housing is a municipal service that could be offered to veterans, especially some of our younger veterans who served in Afghanistan and other recent Forces missions.
I know of one younger veteran who recently returned to Hamilton and moved into a neighbourhood in need of leadership. He owns a commercial building, is involved in the neighbourhood association, and is recovering from the effects of his time in Afghanistan.
Could Hamilton better assist veterans by investing the funds for free parking into fixing damaged affordable housing units and offering them to veterans who as either affordable or market-rate rent depending upon the circumstances?
Hamilton is a center of excellence for veterans health care and support, do some of these veterans who are getting support for PTSD and other ailments require better housing and supports to complement their treatments?
There is over a month before the June 17th discussion, giving Hamiltonians an opportunity to discuss options and decide if and how the City will honour veterans by funding programs that assist them.


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Hamilton City Council for May 27, 2015 [Replay] – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

May 27, 2015
Hamilton City Council meets to approve their committee work of the past two weeks. There are additional motions on gun violence, Light Rail Transit, and keeping Hydro One publicly owned.


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Replay: Hamilton City Council General Issues Committee for May 20, 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

May 20, 2015
City Councillors discuss selling the Auchmar Estate, conducting an annual audit of the Hamilton Police Service budget, the City’s position to the CRTC on Bell Canada’s access to municipal right of way, funding for a new McMaster University program downtown, UBER’s taxi service, and revenue generation programs.
Roman Sarachman of the Committee to Free Flamborough will speak to Council to present a petition for a review of amalgamation in light of the ward boundary review which is likely to result in changes to boundaries based upon representation by population.


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Hamilton Committee of Adjustment for May 28, 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

May 25, 2015
Committee of Adjustment meets Thursday with a big agenda of 27 hearing. There are 3 rural applications, 17 Lower City and Dundas, and 7 Mountain and Suburbs.
I’ve reviewed all the public notices for the hearings and three are of newsworthy note: a hearing on the Beach Strip involving a request to build a basement (basements are not allowed due to flooding risk), an existing industrial building that requires a variance to allow light manufacturing because manufacturing is not a permitted use in industrial zoning (for some odd reason I have yet to understand), and the former Sandbar Tavern is seeking a variance for windows on the upper floor.
I’ll be at Committee of Adjustment and will update this story Thursday evening with the decision.
The issue of larger homes with basements along Hamilton’s flood vunerable Beach Strip is back in front of Committee of Adjustment as the owner of the property at 880 Beach Blvd is seeking a variance to allow the construction of a three storey home with a basement.
The zoning bylaw along the Beach Strip forbids basements due to the high water table and risk of flooding. Officially the basement is considered a storey of the building as well – meaning the proposal also requires a variance for three storeys where only two storeys is permitted.
Storm surge from heavy winds have flooded the Beach Strip repeatedly in the past, and newer homes which are proposing basements are often such that most of the “basement” level is above ground – which is still not permitted in the bylaw.
The CoA is not entirely consistent in these applications – having allowed some construction with basements in the past few years.
In December, CoA denied a similar request on the same block at 856 Beach Blvd on a 4-2 vote.
The Beach Strip is a Heritage District and the heritage approvals for the new home issued in 2012 expired in mid-2014. I’ve emailed City staff to determine if an extension or new permits are issued.
This hearing is scheduled for 1:35 p.m.
The City’s zoning bylaw does not allow for the construction of buildings within parks except for utility and storage purposes.
The City requires a variance from their own zoning rules to rebuild the washroom and storage building at Montgomery Park in East Hamilton bordering the Queenston Traffic Circle.
The new building will include a concession stand.
This hearing is scheduled for 1:50pm.
Hamilton’s Zoning Bylaw does not allow for manufacturing in the existing industrial building on Cumberland near Gage on the west side of the CP rail track.
The owner of the building is seeking a variance to allow for wholesale and manufacturing of medical pillows and mattresses.
I’m interesting to hear from City staff why the Zoning Bylaw does not allow for an industrial building to contain light manufacturing.
The new owner the former location of the infamous Sandbar Tavern is seeking a variance to allow for large windows on the upper floors of this International Village building.
The International Village is a Heritage Character Zone and windows are only allowed to be up to 40% of the upper floors – in keeping with the character of older mid-rise buildings.


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Hamilton Emergency and Community Services for May 25, 2015 [Replay] – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

May 25, 2015
The Emergency and Community Services Committee met to discuss the challenge of a shortage of emergency shelter space for single homeless women, response to extreme heat, and a presentation from the McQueston Hub.


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Hamilton Public Library Board for May 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

May 20, 2015
The Library Board receives 2014 audited financial reports, the new facilites masterplan, bike lending for kids, updates to the Library’s Code of Conduct, and discusses the future of the Greensville Branch.
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h4>Bike Lending Library
The Board will review a proposal from the Canadian Tire Jump Start Program – with maintenance and insurance costs covered by Start the Cycle – to offer a children’s bike loan program at the Barton and Red Hill branches for the months of June to September.
There is no additional cost to the library.
Library staff are proposing some housekeeping amendments to the Code.
At nearly 70 pages, the third draft of the four-year capital facilities plan outlines the vision for library spaces in Hamilton over the next four years.
Of note, the Dundas Branch is scheduled for an extensive renovation if Council provides funds and the Library is already looking at alternative spaces to serve the community during the renovations.
The Library is also looking to expand the Upper Stoney Creek Valley Park branch with a review of using development charges to fund the expansion.
The City of Hamilton and the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board have agreed to partner on the building of a new elementary school in Greensville.
Both have approached the Library to add a 3,400 square foot library branch in the new building, which will share facilities with a planned community centre and the school.
The Library Board must commit to the project at this meeting to meet the requirements of the School Board to obtain Ministry of Education funding for a September 2017 opening.
The current Greensville branch is in a strip mall and the lease is $25,500 per year.
The cost of the new library branch is projected at $1,326,000 of which $325,190 will be funded from development charges.
The Library celebrates 125 years on Tuesday, May 26 and the website will be updated with an anniversary logo and a “I Heart HPL” logo.


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James Baptist Condo – The Connolly – Gains Conditional Site Plan Approval – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

May 1, 2015
Stanton Renaissance – developers of the Council approved condominium at 98 James Street South – have gained conditional site plan approval.
The final step in the City’s formal planning process, conditional site plan approval means the developer can apply for building permits and start construction.
Conditional site plan approvals are very common, granting the developer approvals based upon making changes and tweaks required by various city department such as engineering, water, roads, and conditions from utilities.
The Connolly, as the building is named, is approved for a 30-storey tower with 259 units, two floors commercial, and only 122 parking spaces using a stacker.
The developer is planning a open house on June 13 & 14 at the Art Gallery of Hamilton.
The City is completely the conditional approval list. Once finalized, The Public Record will receive a copy and post.


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Replay: General Issues Committee for May 6, 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

May 6, 2015
Council meets as GIC today to receive City Manager Chris Murray’s annual performance review. They will also receive the minutes of the PanAm Stadium Committee. Following this, they will go into closed session to discuss the arbitrator’s ruling requiring the City to rehire fired Public Works roads crew employees.
Live Video starts shortly after 9:30am.
(The Public Record is not allowed to set up prior to meetings by order of the City Clerks based upon the allegations of former Integrity Commissioner Earl Basse.)


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Replay: Hamilton City Council for May 13, 2015 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

May 13, 2015
City Council meets to approve their work of the past two weeks with a light agenda. Items of discussion include a letter from the Prime Minister of Canada regarding Canada Post community mailboxes, and a letter announcing substantial completion of the new stadium.
Full Replay Available.