LARRY'S CORNER- Hamilton's Former Mayor Speaks

James Street Revitilization and Rev. Ron Burridge

By Larry Di Ianni
(posted July 21, 2009)

Recently an out-of-towner called Hamilton a ‘dump’ in a Toronto newspaper.  When asked to explain, she referenced the downtown as justification for her descriptor.  Obviously her characterization is incomplete at best and stereotypical at worst.   However, there is a kernel of truth to her statement.  There are parts of downtown which are downright dumpy.  But, much has been done and more is being done to change that perception.  The Lister Block revitalization, the resurgent City Center with the buying presence of city staff, the many arts crawls visiting artistic enterprises along James North, the iconic Liuna Station, the many restaurants, and even the forward-looking waterfront are all testimony to this renaissance.

In this week’s paper, I read that a quadrille of entrepreneurs has just purchased the old Hotel Hamilton at the corner of James and Mulberry to refurbish it and dedicate the building to the growing arts community in the city.  The location will apparently be managed by folks from the Imperial Cotton Center who have lots of practice at attracting artists and entrepreneurs to other Hamilton venues which have been adaptively reused.  Let us hope they will be successful on James as well.

Regardless, however, the mere purchase of the building has caused a stir.  I was walking along James on the day the article appeared and a nice Hamiltonian of 35 years standing who married into the community and is trying to make a business go of a picture gallery on James was there snapping up pictures of the Hotel Hamilton.  She and I talked briefly of the new project and the revitalization which she has noticed along James.  She was even kind enough to acknowledge my efforts over the years in supporting needed development and re-development along this strategic corridor.  I thanked her, but I couldn’t help recall one of the true characters along the James Street scene whom I encountered during my tenure.  His name is Ron Burridge; and he was the owner of the Hotel Hamilton for quite a number of years and was responsible in his own way for keeping James Street North in the consciousness of the political class.

Reverend Ron was truly eccentric.  He was a Reverend of sorts and once tried to explain to me the denomination he followed.  My memory may be faulty but I recall his particular brand of religion had a dash of evangelical Christianity and a dose of Judaism attached to it.  He certainly wore the Star of David on a chain around his neck, along with a cross; and I was surprised to read in the paper that he also practiced exorcism.  In retrospect it probably makes some sense given his interesting personality.   He certainly spent time exorcising demons along James, if I can be permitted to belabour a metaphor!

I got to know Ron because of my frequent walks along James and because he invited me regularly to the meetings of merchants along James.  I attended whenever I could to talk to people whom I considered to be heroes for maintaining their investments along James even when things looked bleak.  These businesspeople kept hearing of a renaissance around the corner but saw few tangible signs of any such movement.

Ron and I also had many private chats about what was ailing James.  He contended that the biggest problems he saw had to do with crime and drugs.  He quoted chapter and verse and even gave me anecdotal stories on which locations along James I should avoid.  I had a habit of stopping in to say hello to owners or operators along James or stop in for lunch when I could, or even a quick coffee.  It was a great way of showing support and meeting real people.  Ron was concerned about the optics of the mayor ducking into what he considered ‘unsavoury’ places.  I contended, perhaps naively, that there should be NO unsavoury places in a downtown core.  Nevertheless, I heeded his advice.

I wasn’t oblivious to the problems, including the lawlessness.  I chatted with police authorities and encouraged Ron to share his observations as well, which he did even without my prodding. He shared his stories with the police and he shared them with the press, the latter of which often got him into some hot water with other merchants for contributing to the stereotype of our city core.

To give Ron credence, however, I knew that there had been some shooting along James a number of times; and that we were dealing not only with the occasional bad behaviour, but almost as importantly, with the perception of a lack of safety in our downtown.  I realized that we had to tackle the real issue as well as the perception which often exaggerated the situation.  That is why I pledged to support the hiring of more officers to deploy downtown.  Ron was wholly in favour.

Now that Reverend Ron has gone on to do other things, in Mexico, I understand, the renaissance is truly happening; and if luck will hold, his own building might just be at the center of the continued positive movement we are seeing along James.  I know he will be happy to learn that!

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