All Statements of Support
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Vince Franco says,
Years ago, Hamilton made a huge mistake by removing the HSR tracks and trolleys for the sake of the automobile. We now have a change to reverse this grave error with partial funding. Please don't ruin the future of Hamilton for another 50 years. Become a legacy for positive change in this city instead of being another name in disgraced leadership.
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Myke Hutchings says,
As our city grows in population and geographic size, what remains evident is the need for its population to move around freely with little hinderance.
Currently Hamilton is often gridlocked as individuals in single passenger cars crowd the downtown streets and where major thoroughfares meet, such as the Red Hill Expressway and Queenston. There HAS to be a better way of moving people efficiently in the city.
LRT is that way.
Mayor Bratina says his focus is on all day GO Transit, moving people into and out of the city. Well Mayor, these people that are coming into the city are going to need to move around and travel while they are in the city? LRT on an east-west and a north-south corridor would provide an efficient way to move these people.
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Susan Lau says,
Please let the rest of Ontario see that Hamilton can really achieve something that will better the city for generations to come.
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Matt Wright says,
They only way you will be able to attract people to the corners of city, is by making transit efficient and user-friendly. Hamilton needs LRT.
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Sandra Dykstra says,
There are many in this city (greater Hamilton) that already use the buses because they do not own a car. However for those of us who do own a car sometimes the roads can become so congusted and parking is at a premium. Light rail would be so convenient to get across the city in a hurry and would free up congusted roads. I know at first there would not be to many built but if one line was successful I know other lines would be built too. Please continue to think about this and encourage the province to step up and help to make this city a thriving place to live. Thank you.
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Henry Brouwer says,
We need a new vision for transportation in this city (and beyond - more highways and roads will not solve our transportation problems, especially as oil will become an important concern in the future, along with having to reduce carbon emissions. An electrified system reduces pollution and can run on renewable energy.
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Rachel Wallace says,
LRT would set up Hamilton to as a progressive and world-class city, making it attractive for people to live in and businesses to settle in. As a citizen committed to green living, LRT would make using public transit far more accessible for myself and many others.
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Denise Neutel says,
I believe that light rail is important for making a strong city and community. After ammalgamation, Hamilton's borders grew to an unprecedented size. We now span from Stoney Creek to Flamborough, a large distance, so something like LRT is needed to allow citizen to move from one end of the city to the other.
We need also to look at a way to move people that makes the least impact on the environment, it seems to me that more people in Ancaster are using HSR especially during peek times than ever before. If there were more direct and quicker routes from places like Ancaster that could incorporate cycling as well, there would definitely be more users of those systems. -
Tom Hurd says,
In July I wrote the following letter to the City Council. I still support LRT 100%.
Dear Councillors,In the light of recent serious backpedalling by some City Councillors, I find I have to reiterate the commitment I made 4 years ago to the concept of LRT in Hamilton's core. I don't need to go into the detailed pro/con arguments that have been studied over the years, that are nicely summarized in the article:
http://www.raisethehammer.org/article/1401/light_rail_needs_leadership_from_mayorI just want to remind the members of the City Council that I am 100% committed to LRT in Hamilton, if financed with a fair capital funding formula from Metrolinx.
Go For The Best Deal Possible: Just Do It!!!
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Andrea Lynn Sloan says,
Having LRT lines in Hamilton would be a benefit to everyone.
It would help us update an old, inefficient system that the city very dearly needs
Please, Hamilton do not add the LRT to a much too long list of missed opportunities -
Casey Park says,
The Province of Ontario under the McGuinty government has already pledged and earmarked public money towards LRT planning and construction in Hamilton. Parallel to these statements, current members of Hamilton's City Council have already stated that they support LRT as the next phase in Hamilton's downtown and overall renewal.
Regardless of shifting political optics and reality (especially considering the imminent provincial election) groundbreaking on LRT is the obvious best next step for Hamilton for pragmatic, civic and researched reasons.
Many parties have let Hamilton down over this issue but it's not too late to pick up the pieces and move forward to a more sustainable and uplifting future for the East, West and the Mountain communities.
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jane osier says,
We need the LRT
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Boris Brott says,
The City of Hamilton has probably the greatest potential for growth in serving its citizens of any in the Golden Horseshoe. At the centre of this MUST be rapid and convenient transportation both local and in connection with Toronto. Missing yet another boat for Provincial support in the LRT construction is criminal. Let's all pull together on this one. The positive energy we show and experience will inspire us to work together more often. If we can move forward in musical harmony - nothing will stop the city of Hamilton from reaching its great potential!
Boris Brott
Artistic Director
Brott Music Festivals, Hamilton -
Mickey Bellavia says,
The LRT in Hamilton is very much needed and a long awaited solution to public transportation in this area.
Our city has much potential in utilizing this transportation benefit and making public transportation easier for many users.
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Andrew Pettit says,
Elected Representatives,
I love our city. I am excited for our future, as our leadership has pointed us in a promising, human-centric, community-first direction. The LRT system is the start of a major shift away from our current multi-lane highway/dearth of life that we currently enjoy (?), moving towards something much more sustainable and engaging. It's part of a collection of small movements - Open Streets, bike lanes, library and farmers market reinvigoration, etc. - that are shaping this city into something greater. Please have the courage to stay the course. Hamilton is worth it!!
Sincerely,
Andrew Pettit
181 Hess St. South -
Bob Leach says,
I believe that LRT is essential for the ongoing growth and development of our city. This is not the time to turn back or in any way reconsider commitments that have been made previously. Hamilton needs and will greatly benefit both now and in the future from LRT.
Let's get it done!
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Connor Clark says,
I believe this system is perfect for Hamilton. We are looking forward to a bright future and becoming a more desirable place to live. This system will only help that.
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Artur Rozumek says,
Hamilton is a major city in Ontario that requires improved transit linking neighbourhoods and the city with the suburbs. Buses are not enough, and the present buses-only network is not up to international standards for a city of Hamilton's size. Without better transit, it will be hard to encourage people to use transit willingly and poses challenges for those who have no other option. It means congestion and a lower standard of living for people in the city. Hamilton has numerous neighbourhoods in need of revitalization, and LRT will be key to improving transportation and accessibility to those neighbourhoods. It will make them more attractive to investment. Please do not neglect Hamilton. Not building the LRT line will only be regretted.
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Adam Peet says,
Hello there,
Considering the amount of tax revenue that could potentially be generated from new investment along the LRT routes, it makes me wonder if the right people are on the job here in Hamilton. A simple business adage would be " to make money you have to spend it". As a new resident and small investor to Hamilton I came here because of the now defunct pan am games projects and the LRT. I like many other small investors see Hamilton as a place for tremendous growth. However, the non-committal direction we're getting from both the province and council is unacceptable at a time when smart investments are needed to help propel growth. Investors such as myself are already planning escape routes if the city continues to show regressive steps. Hamilton needs the LRT to sprout new business, if we had a council with any gumption I'm sure they could add jobs to the LRT contract. Once again, I doubt that will happen, as it seems that our overly bureaucratic governing class needs to conduct a study. One that has already been completed. I love my new home, and the city it's in, but if the city doesn't reciprpcate that love, I may leave. Imagine a bustling, metropolitan city with new development all along the proposed routes. Not committing to the project seems ridiculous at this point. Or maybe our governing class is bi-polar???
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Rob Taylor says,
A definite catalyst to a bigger, better and more vibrant city. If we want to be a world class city, this is the type of investment we must have.
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Erika Strong says,
Hamilton needs light rail. The bus system is inadequate and never on time. It's also impractical in many ways.
Hamilton is growing and developing. LRT will make help it grow into a great city, like it once was.
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Erika Strong says,
Hamilton needs light rail. The bus system is inadequate and never on time. It's also impractical in many ways.
Hamilton is growing and developing. LRT will make help it grow into a great city, like it once was.
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Chris Mayhew says,
Light rail is what Hamilton needs to move the city forward. Everyone is focusing on how to get people to take mass transit, but we need effective transit before this happens.
Hamilton's slow, packed city buses are inferior to driving. LRT is a step in the right direction, towards making mass transit more useable and fixing the traffic problems that plague the city.
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Enrico Seminerio says,
Our municipal and provincial governments have an opportunity to do something that shows a lot of foresight and vision. As cities grow and the cost of fuel keeps rising, Canadian cities will have to rely more and more on public transit, just as large urban centres in Europe and Asia do today. Unfortunately our municipal and provincial (and federal for that matter) politicians rarely have the courage to make the tough long term decisions because they are so focused on short term goals so that they can get re-elected in four years. I am calling on all three levels of government to support LRT for Hamilton now.
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Gillian Varlow says,
If we don't do this soon, we'll turn into Canada's version of Flint, Michigan. We must move forward or be left behind.
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Thomas Bernacki says,
It's time again for city council to make it's position clear on LRT, as it's done in the past. Recent statements by the mayor downplaying support for LRT are not indicative of the broad support among citizens and council. And the province needs to follow through on its promises to the city. Toronto is getting massive investment from the province for transit expansions; certainly Hamilton deserves it too.
LRT will be amazingly transformative for the city. We are raising our young family in the core of the city, and other young professionals like ourselves continue to make the same choice. I have no doubt that the prospect of LRT across the lower city has played some part in that. With a solid commitment from council and the province, that momentum and positivity will only increase. Not only that, but it will set our city on the right track (no pun intended) for reducing pollution, increasing transit use, facilitating intensification, and ensuring mobility through a future of increasing fuel costs and scarcity.
To all politicians involved in this decision: I call on you to reaffirm support for the east-west LRT line in Hamilton. -
Fred Sandoval says,
This would be a huge and excellent initiative for Hamilton, just do a little research in all the similar systems in the US in see how they've lived up to or exceeded expectations.
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Patricia Baker says,
I have, in the past few months, had the opportunity to see LRT in operation in Portland, Vancouver and Dublin. What a difference to these cities has been made by these trains! Ease of movement,new businesses, far more people visiting areas of the cities previously unknown to them, easing of traffic congestion etc. etc. The sooner we can get away from the 'thruway' mentality for traffic movement on our main roads and move to a modern mode of transport the better.
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Aaron Newman says,
We must be ahead of the urbanization that is bound to happen in the coming years. Our cities must reflect a livable model. Buses will never be cool, will never supplant the car nor spur economic redevelopment, but light has that potential for creating economic redevelopment and making people want to live downtown. We can't lose out on this model of redevelopment.
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Tim Ritchie says,
As a lifelong Hamiltonian I can say with certainty that myself, my family and my guests will all use and benefit fro LRT. Don't let this opportunity slide past.
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