Former Mayor Larry Di Ianni and Mr. Ecklund's daughter Erika

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LARRY'S CORNER- Hamilton's Former Mayor Speaks

former Mayor of Hamilton, Larry Di IanniWhither or Should that be Wither the Connaught?

By Larry Di Ianni
(posted September 11, 2009)

What a difference a letter makes!  Whither means ‘in which direction’ while wither means ‘to atrophy’.  The homonyms are an appropriate  and symbolic verbal confusion describing the latest plan for the former Royal Connaught Hotel.  Apparently Council has before it a list of properties to approve for the Federal/Provincial infrastructure money.  The Connaught, as reported in the Spectator, tops the list of projects looking for funding.  The $18M government money will see 100 units in the building turned into affordable housing accommodation.  Affordability is defined as rents 20% below the market cost.  To be fair, another 106 units would be in line with market rents and there would also be 20,000 square feet of retail space in the building.

The question being asked by people I have talked to concerns the suitability of this iconic building in the heart of the city for such a project.  Some have indicated that it would be good to see the building put to productive use rather than to see it remain boarded up.  Others have argued that creating another enclave of lower rent housing downtown continues to ghettoize the core thereby discouraging other development and retarding the downtown’s revitalization.

To be sure we are all chagrined by the Connaught’s fate.  You might remember that I have written about the importance of this building to the history and psyche of our city.  I have also written about my own special connection to the Hotel as the site of our nuptial banquet so many, many years ago.  I have also often talked about the number of beautiful buildings in our core that are deserving of preservation and celebration.  The Connaught is certainly one of them along with the Piggott building, the Lister and a number of Churches along James.  I would even include Treble Hall in the list.

I have had my share of challenges with derelict buildings, including the Lister which I had Council approve for demolition and then co-ordinated a last-ditch effort to save, along with the Province, a number of years ago.  We were successful in that effort.  The Connaught, on the other hand, had such promise, especially because the private sector had stepped up to the plate and was going to bring it back to its glory without any government assistance.  I am saddened by the latest turn of events.

I do want to see the Connaught become a building we can all be proud of, but must add my voice to those sceptical that as an affordable housing project, it leaves much to be desired.  Perhaps I can be proven wrong.  I know the development group and they are all friends of mine.  However, if I had still been on Council, this is one project I would have asked the group to pass on.  The Connaught is much too valuable to the history of this city and the future of the core to be turned into another affordable housing project.  City Places, City Views, the Spallacci building, the several buildings on King also owned by the city are enough of a contribution to affordable housing in the downtown core.

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