Statement by Connie Kidd

Hamilton's downtown is fast becoming a draw to young and energetic people. Instead of being a burned out boarded up place to leave when they grow up, downtown Hamilton is becoming the place to be for young people making their homes, families and livelihoods here, and creating active and involved neighbourhoods.

Critical to that is improved mass transit development downtown with connections to all areas of the city and to other cities. The LRT will serve the entire community, not just downtown. It will spur residential and commercial development to serve the needs of those moving downtown, create employment along the corridor, connect residents to places of employment more efficiently, and move all of Hamilton into a new era.

Obviously, for full effectiveness the LRT will also require improved transit connections and service throughout the whole city, outlying areas and other cities. That demand will build naturally as the LRT becomes a reality, as will the identification and allocation of funds for increased service to connect to downtown. Area ratings will have to be reevaluated as area demands for transit become clearer.

City leaders now just have to take the first step: accept $1b in funding and build the LRT.

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