LARRY'S CORNER- Hamilton's Former Mayor Speaks

The Groundhog Day Debate: What to do about City Hall

By Larry Di Ianni
(posted January 25, 2008)  

It’s almost Groundhog Day; let’s debate what to do about City Hall-again!

I was somewhat surprised to see Council once more debating the fate of our City Hall, although given the past ruminations, directions, iterations and changes in course we have experienced in the last 7 years, I shouldn't be too shocked.

Let me begin with the Council term of 2000-2003 when Bob Wade was Mayor, immediately following amalgamation. The Transition Board, which ran the city the year prior to the ‘New’ Council taking over, commissioned a report on the state and status of all civic buildings owned by the city of Hamilton. Featuring prominently in this very comprehensive report was the finding that Hamilton Council had not kept up with the needs of their municipal center. As a result, the City Hall on Main Street was an accident waiting to happen. The elevators were in fail mode; the roof and windows were in trouble thereby costing a fortune in heating/air-conditioning bills and endangering the city’s computer data system in case of a flood. The marble outside was a menace to passers-by. The list of delinquent problems went on.

Mayor Wade’s Council looked at the options of building new or fixing the old and decided for a number of reasons to actually demolish the building and build a new civic center. If memory serves me correctly, I think the cost was about $80M for a totally new building that could house ALL city staff under one roof. Decision taken! We were all pleased with that.

Then politics interfered. A mountain Councillor decided to derail the process fearing taxpayer backlash at spending $80M on a municipal building. Council decided once again to band-aid repairs and keep things going as best it could. Some of us disagreed with this decision but what else were we to do.

When I was Mayor, the problems with the building only compounded. The safety issues could no longer be ignored. We had commissioned a study to see if the private sector might be partnered with. We had no takers that made sense to the city. In the meantime, heritage folks had the building declared a protected heritage building to keep it from the wrecker’s ball. So, Council decided to vacate the building and spend about $45M I think to renovate it according to modern standards and systems. Two years later the cost has apparently ballooned to over $69M. Such is the cost of inaction. If the Red Hill delay should have taught us anything, it is that waiting and waiting just compounds problems and makes solutions more expensive.

It should be noted that before this move was made, the Mayor actually began a discussion on options to renovating. He was shot down by some of the same Councillors now advocating a sober second look.

As we know, earlier this year, the building was indeed emptied and staff and Council moved to the City Center. The lease at the City Center was negotiated during my tenure, and the deal was very advantageous to the city. But the intention of the lease was always a time-limited move rather than a permanent solution.

Now, it seems, some Councillors are again looking for a change in plans. Demolish the city hall say some. Give the property to McMaster University say others. Sell it to the highest bidder say some community members. What to do? What to do?

The major problem with all of this, of course, is that it makes Council look wishy-washy and irresolute. Changing horses in mid-stream is never a good optic for politicians. To have this debate now, out of the blue, after a course has been set shows that Council’s priority setting, visioning exercise may have been for naught. If this was part of the vision, it should have been articulated then, perhaps.

Setting aside the optics of the situation, here is what I think would be some prudent steps for Council to take. Firstly, try to partner with other agencies to minimize the cost to the taxpayer. I know that the school Board’s office is in need of renovation and expansion. Look at partnering with them on the city hall side of the street for some of their space needs. I also know that the YMCA has been interested in a revamped location downtown. Could they be incorporated in a ‘civic center’ approach on the city hall site? They could fund their part of the enterprise by selling their James St. property. As well, do bring in McMaster Medical School with their provincial grants and Mr. Braley’s financial muscle to see if the Medical center can’t be accommodated on the city hall property as part of the civic/medical center complex. I do believe there is plenty of room on the site to accommodate all of these entities. If this isn’t palatable, sell the school board property to McMaster and move the school board office in with the city administration. The Council and Board could share the Council Chamber as well for both purposes. It would need a level of co-ordination, but what a great message of civic co-operation it would demonstrate to the community. I would also take this opportunity to improve the eyesore across from City Hall and in front of the Art Gallery. This barren, weed-infested space is a disgrace, not doing any credit to the Gallery or the municipal center. I might even do extensive work on the Hamilton Place façade opening it up to Main Street as the Gallery has done on King Street. There might even be room for the private sector to participate if the façade were made to feature little shops or restaurants rather than a sterile wall. I would also connect both sides of the Main Street highway with a pedestrian bridge. It is nearly suicidal now for people to cross Main Street and this doesn’t lend to a ‘people-friendly’ concept.

Since the ball is in play, perhaps what we need is some bold vision, and elected officials capable on delivering on that vision. Once decided and articulated, however, be done with it. Implement the plan and leave Groundhog Day for the traditional winter/spring prognostication that it is!

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