Posted May 31, 2016
While Hamilton City Council pushes back a vote on whether they still support their own LRT plan until September, supporters - both residential, business and institutional - continue to speak up and articulate why Council should not even think about losing its nerve.
http://hamiltonlightrail.ca/statements/new
The most recent comes from the Hamilton-Burlington Society of Architects (HBSA), which submitted a letter on May 29 to remind Council of the strategic plan under which they supported LRT in the first place.
Architects Letter Endorsing Light Rail Transit
This follows recent letters by property developer Darko Vranich, construction union and property developer LiUNA Local 837, the Rolston Neighbourhood Action Team on the west Mountain, the North End Neighbourhood Association, the Ainslie Wood-Westdale Community Association, the Lakewood Beach Community Council in Stoney Creek, the Durand Neighbourhood Association, the Kirkendall Neighbourhood Association, and many hundreds of letters from individual Hamiltonians.
We can expect more letters will follow as organizations meet to discuss this crucial issue.
Speak Up in Support of LRT
If you have already sent a personal statement of LRT support, thank you. If you have not, please take a few moments to do so:
http://hamiltonlightrail.ca/statements/new
it doesn't have to be fancy or long-winded: an honest, clear and straightforward message of support makes a big difference!
Please circulate this campaign among your friends and associate networks. We need to keep the omentum going so that Council goes into their September meeting amid broad, consistent public support for LRT.
Be sure to engage with Council using respectful language. We will not win over uncertain Councillors by insulting them.
Engage Local Media
Please also consider writing a letter to the editor in The Hamilton Spectator and the Hamilton Community News - especially if you live on the mountain or suburbs and recognize the value to the communiy as a whole.
- Hamilton Spectator: letters@thespec.com
- Ancaster News: ddowney@hamiltonnews.com
- Dundas Star: ddowney@hamiltonnews.com
- Hamilton Mountain News: gordbowes@hamiltonnews.com
- Flamborough Review: editor@flamboroughreview.com
- Stoney Creek: mpearson@hamiltonnews.com
- Bay Observer: john@bayobserver.ca
Also, please consider calling into talk radio to express support for LRT with those audiences.
And of course, make sure to share your support on social media and circulate this campaign among your friends and associate networks - we need to keep broadening the base of support throughout this critical period of uncertainty.
Thank You
Above all, thank you for your ongoing support, patience and dedication to this transformative opportunity for Hamilton. If we remain focused and don't lose our nerve or give up hope, we can still salvage this from the inevitable politicking that accompanies any big project.
While Council wrings its hands, Metrolinx and City staff are continuing to develop the details of the LRT implementation plan so that we will be ready to submit it to the Province for approval next year. Be sure to engage in the City of Hamilton's public consultation process.
