Hamilton FirstOntario Centre Renovations | ?m | 4s | OVG | BBB

BCTed said:
From what I can tell, there is very little info out there...
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Thank you for the response! From what I have seen of the theatre it is a bit of a gem. And I can’t believe that so much ground level space wasn’t used!
 
UtakataNoAnnex said:
Heavily taxing the well to do folks and corporations and shifting the proceeds over to adequate housing would be a good start on that getting tough on this issue. So be careful what you wish for...
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No, no, clearly what we need to do is tax the rich and corporations less, so they can employ more people. It's simple trickle down theory. It almost always works.
 
Summary: Downtown Hamilton is in trouble because of vagrancy/drugs... maybe this project can help improve things. The arena is hopefully getting a $280 million renovation that is real and starting very soon. We do not know many details about that renovation or updates to other infrastructure (theatre, convention centre, art gallery) or what exactly will constitute The Commons.
 
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UtakataNoAnnex said:
Heavily taxing the well to do folks and corporations and shifting the proceeds over to adequate housing would be a good start on that getting tough on this issue. So be careful what you wish for...
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That's assuming the money taxed is responsibly allocated....

also I feel like there is a middle issue- a lot of affordable housing is granted to the poor and vulnerable, sure, and a lot of the new stuff is granted to the well to do - but what about the middle folk? Personally I'd rather just see rent prices go down for once in my life.
 
Chronamut said:
That's assuming the money taxed is responsibly allocated....

also I feel like there is a middle issue- a lot of affordable housing is granted to the poor and vulnerable, sure, and a lot of the new stuff is granted to the well to do - but what about the middle folk? Personally I'd rather just see rent prices go down for once in my life.
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I get that it's not always that simple. But I do believe at the end of the day, it would be a win/win situation all parties involved, IMO.

...anywhoose, back to this arena: I do believe that whatever gets rebuilt here will unlikely be affected by what's already around it. The thing is if it draws in the crowds and the money, it isn't going really matter. It just how things are and always have been. Slums exist next to opulence and visa versa, life seems to go on...for good or bad. /shrug
 
UtakataNoAnnex said:
I get that it's not always that simple. But I do believe at the end of the day, it would be a win/win situation all parties involved, IMO.

...anywhoose, back to this arena: I do believe that whatever gets rebuilt here will unlikely be affected by what's already around it. The thing is if it draws in the crowds and the money, it isn't going really matter. It just how things are and always have been. Slums exist next to opulence and visa versa, life seems to go on...for good or bad. /shrug
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To a degree. But at some point, the state of York Blvd near the arena is utterly embarrassing for this city. It makes a poor impression when hundreds of thousands of visitors per year from out of town see this. And at some point, the city has to do something. One thing they could do, work with the developer for the arena and the condo developers to get that shelter relocated or permanently out of this city. Another thing, enforce some sort of vagrancy by-law. I'm sorry, but having dozens of homeless laying on sidewalks intoxicated out of their brains displaying anti-social and dangerous behaviour is completely unacceptable.

For this arena renovation and surrounding development to be successful, something needs to be done. And yes, this conversation is completely acceptable and on-topic, for those on here that are going to screech about this discussion harbouring "unacceptable views".
 
TheHonestMaple said:
To a degree. But at some point, the state of York Blvd near the arena is utterly embarrassing for this city. It makes a poor impression when hundreds of thousands of visitors per year from out of town see this. And at some point, the city has to do something. One thing they could do, work with the developer for the arena and the condo developers to get that shelter relocated or permanently out of this city. Another thing, enforce some sort of vagrancy by-law. I'm sorry, but having dozens of homeless laying on sidewalks intoxicated out of their brains displaying anti-social and dangerous behaviour is completely unacceptable.

For this arena renovation and surrounding development to be successful, something needs to be done. And yes, this conversation is completely acceptable and on-topic, for those on here that are going to screech about this discussion harbouring "unacceptable views".
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You can never eliminate it - you simply have to relocate it somewhere where the majority of the city aren't going to notice it. Tucked away as it were. The problem is the problem people are always gonna be the problem people, will always take up police resources to deal with, and thus will always be ignored due to lack of available people - and the whole "send a social worker to deal with the problem" thing...

relocate the shelter next to the police dept - then maybe things will change. Least then they wouldn't have far to go.

Ideally a homeless shelter would be right next to a hospital right next to a police dept so all the resources are in the place needed for the eventual collapse of mental or physical health.

Or we re-instate loonie bins and stick anyone incapable of "lifing" there until they are deemed rehabilitated and released back into society. Or maybe.. both options.
 
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Unlike the revelers after a nights game or concert that are intoxicated out of their brains displaying anti-social and dangerous behaviours. Sure, whatever...
 
BCTed said:
So the Rock are done for the season. Are we in full-on reno mode or what?
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I was at the Jackson Square docks yesterday and there were straight trucks loading boxes out of the building and a transport was being loaded with the rink boards so I think they are at the clean out stage right now.
 
Interesting.

The link to the release from the Baltimore CFG Bank Arena OVG renovation groundbreaking is here: https://www.oakviewgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Baltimore-Arena-Groundbreaking.pdf

It was very similar in terms of upgrades (exterior facade, concourses, suites, et cetera) and costs and the fact they are treating the Baltimore arena as a concert-first venue.

Notably, they did not upgrade the Baltimore scoreboard/video board (they have a very old/basic one, but much less old/basic than the Hamilton one). I know I am pretty hung up on this, and it is minor in the grand scheme of things, but I have still never heard anything from HUPEG/OVG about an upgraded board.

Also, it would be interesting to learn if the new street-level concourse will be wrap-around, i.e. if it will be possible to walk an entire loop without running into inaccessible areas.
 
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