Confederation Park works for me. Issue Municipal bonds to cover the cost.

Emma, you should look into stuff that has fallen off the radar, like what happened to all that missing HSR money? I could name a few more boondoggles.

I'm all for helping the poor get a hand up, but how will another poverty committee help? Heaven knows, Hamilton has hundreds already, yet poverty persists. Endlessly discussing the problem will fix nothing. What Hamilton needs desperately are jobs, any kind of legitimate job is better than Ontario Works. Ontario Disability Support Program rates should be increased as this group suffers under poverty the most. OW recipients are able-bodied individuals who should only require assistance in the short term, as OW is not a make-work project, it is to assist recipients get to being employable through training and other programs like education. The city of Hamilton spends over $2 million a year on graffiti eradication, perhaps OW recipients could help with that program while collecting OW and looking for a legitimate job. We have to think outside the box for this problem to be fixed, as everything we are trying now has been less than effective.

Must be a huge napkin or envelope to get all that political gibberish on it. Epic-fail. That's Hamilton, get used to it.

Quite frankly I recognize none of them. I do know who will win, Larry DiIanni, IMHO.

Seems Tim Horton's has given Mayor Fred a slap-on-the-wrist for using their business and private property to pimp for votes. Epic-fail. Go Larry.

Quite a noble thought Emma, better to use a punch-clock for committee meetings if attendance is the problem. Seems to work for industry, why not city hall? Personally, I would like to see a massive restructuring, re-alignment and right-sizing of city hall. If staff can move a lightening speed regarding the Pan-Am stadium, they should be able to find tons of tax-saving measures for long suffering home-owners with the same zeal, what's good for the Goose is good for the Gander.

Bratina is as hollow as a dug-out canoe, an empty vessel sailing to nowhere in particular. Yawn.

If this statement is true, then he (Mayor Fred) must have instructed staff to say it since he claimed the trip as a business expense. Bingo. -- His office said he was taking time off for personal reasons and wouldn't be available until later in the week.

Longwood Rd is a red-herring, it has Ivor Wynne and MIP nimbyism written all over it, truth be told. The only honestly viable location is the east mountain Lobe and the commitments put forward by Mr. Bob Young, and the Tiger-Cats organization. All council has to do is rewind to that fantastic partnership, and make it work. Games CEO Ian Troop has thrown Hamilton another life-line, with which Mayor Fred wants to hang himself. Go east mountain, or bust.

Bent city hall staff are just like bent cops, expensive to keep, and almost impossible to get rid of. In the private sector you would be fired on the spot, with due cause, for pulling the same stunt as this woman pulled. What a rediculous way to run a incorporated municipality. That's Hamilton, get used to it, or get out and vote.

Hamilton city council is brain dead. They should be put out of their misery at the ballot box.

If Al Gore is involved, it must be a scam. Every 100 years everyone on the planet dies. Don't worry, be happy, live well, life is too short to worry about it.

I've spent hundreds and hundreds of hours reading reports, and anything else available to the public regarding where to build a stadium and Velodrome for the Pan-Am games. I have been in constant contact with Pan-Am games CEO Ian Troop, nice fellow. Open, honest and transparent, he wants what's good for the games, above all else. I certainly understand what he means by legacy, a paying user, or group of users, like football teams or soccer teams, as the case may be. Anyhow, having made visits to both areas to see for myself, it wasn't that hard to figure out which location will serve this community well for generations to come, one with a park, instead of a stadium. What I really find sad, and I'm sure Ian Troop would concur, we are losing sight of the heart and spirit of the games, why we are participating in this world class event in the first place. I'm impressed that Mr. Troop has allowed council to carry on as they have, everyone chipping in their partisan two cents worth, instead of dealing with the fundamental principles of the Pan-Am Games. Who will be footing the bill after the games have left? Having paying tenants lined up before you build something is always a good idea. Why has nobody (paying users) stepped forth to support Mayor Fred's insistence on the west harbour site for a 15,000 seat stadium and Velodrome? The Tiger-Cats, and Bob Young, have done their homework and much, much more, in preparation for the Pan-Am games on Hamilton east mountain, a pastoral setting unlike any other I've seen. We have to have a Pan-Am stadium on he east mountain that pulls its own weight, only Bob Young has offered to assume this responsibility, taxpayers will not be on the hook for one thin dime. The recent discussions about a Greenfield parking lot across the street from the lobe of land proposed for the stadium structure, fails to note that two-lane on and off ramps spill right into the side of this property at a t-bone stoplight. If you were to drive straight through, you would be in the east mountain stadium parking-lot. Crosswalks are already there because this section of road is four lanes wide at this point. Other arterial roads lead away from this area in every conceivable direction. In case nobody has noticed the highway 20 area and highway 6 is bustling with ongoing development of every single type, residential, commercial, the works. This part of the mountain is booming at an incredible pace, to call it suburbia is rediculous. I keep hearing how the best interests of the public will be served, I hope that includes the hopes and dreams of the 250,000 Hamilton residents who live on Hamilton mountain and the surrounding communities, who want to get behind the spirit of the games as well, not treated as second class citizens by those living in the lower city because we support the east mountain location. People drive cars in huge numbers in this city, look in any driveway on any street you pick, average two cars or more. People also like convenience, that's why all shopping centres have huge parking lots, they are a fact of life, and a reality. I have also been doing research on parking lots and how to make them more environmentally acceptable and how to lower their carbon foot-print. I was surprised at some of the innovative ways, one I saw had a canopy of solar cells used to off-set the power requirements of the stadium when in use, and feeding back into the grid when the stadium was not in use, or another lot paved with non-permeable surfaces with drainage that is used to flush the toilets in the stadium. I could go on but you get the idea. I look forward to reading the report we have all been waiting for, the sooner the better, the public has a right to know, especially a decision of this magnitude.

At least we know who to get rid of at the ballot box, go east mountain.

Ian Troop : I’d like to take a moment now to talk about the Hamilton Stadium. The debate on location has been incredibly active, and I have to say it’s encouraging to see such a passionate level of community involvement. The City has been a strong supporter since very early days of the bid, so we appreciate the energy and drive it continues to bring to the Games. I look forward to this intensity of broad engagement carrying on right through 2015. I’ll reiterate a few significant considerations: • The decision that has to be made is on location, which goes hand-in-hand with the associated financial implications. • As well, this is a local decision. The Hamilton community will have to live with its decision far into the future, so the responsibility must remain in this community. • Finally – legacy is fundamental to the City’s involvement, and this legacy speaks to the lasting value of the stadium to this community long after the Games are over. In other words – how will the facility be used? What is the ongoing cost and revenue potential, and, who is financially responsible? These are not considerations unique to the Hamilton Stadium – every one of our venue partners across the region have to incorporate these factors into their plans. With those considerations, the community has two location options and economic factors to evaluate. Toronto 2015 also has been evaluating a number of scenarios. Shifting sports is a very positive option, and we’re continuing our assessment. We’re optimistic with how this may work, but there still are pieces to be worked out. Our Board of Directors today agreed that we should explore a shift further – that is, moving Athletics and building the soccer component. We urge the decision-makers to ask the tough questions about each location to clearly understand the ongoing financial implications to future generations. Ultimately, Toronto 2015 will act in the best interests of the Games – we’ll deliver a great Games, and a great legacy. Kevin Werner: Sorry, I wanted to ask you, I know you’ve mentioned that – the location of the stadium needs to be made by the local municipality. Yet would – does the Toronto 2015 still take a position that it would rather have it on the West Harbor because it seems to be to able to be more accommodating for athletes rather than the West Hamilton? Ian Troop: We have never taken a position Kevin. Kevin Werner: Yes, I know. Ian Troop: We voiced – we mysteriously objective this whole thing. Kevin Werner: Yes. Ian Troop: So, you know, we think both sites can work and both sites have pros and cons from the city standpoint and it’s up to the city to sort it through. Both sites have different economic realities given you know, income revenue potentials going forward so it – that’s why it gets back to – you know, the folks that are going to be paying the freight for the next – in the years to come better make a good wise decision on what site makes the most sense. Kevin Werner: Okay. And with regard to the velodrome again, where is that at the moment, I mean, it just seems to be getting lost when talking about the stadium? Ian Troop: Yeah. That’s true actually it is fairly taking a back seat and which is not a bad thing right now, we have got - Hamilton is getting actually report backs on the business plan and look – what they commissioned was a study that looked at variety of different velodromes to understand what makes a velodrome work, what revenue producing activities can be inside it and that helps us frame that business plan that legacy, the business legacy that I spoke about that’s so important in the stadium as well. So, you know, we can let it follow the stadium decision and that’s what we are planning to do right now. Kevin Werner: Does it need to be with the stadium? Ian Troop: No, we are not making any pre-ordained discussion on where it needs to be. I think we will learn a lot more when we get the study back. I mean we are keeping an open mind. Kevin Werner: So I just wanted to understand there is going to be no track and field at the Hamilton stadium, it will be replaced by soccer games, how many are we talking about? Ian Troop: Lots, a number of factors I mean, we have to still sort this also, I wouldn’t say its cast and stone yet although I think we are all thinking that it makes sense, you know, one of the big factors for us is that when the games were schedule originally at BMO field there was a turf facility and because it was turf it could handle lot more games, now that BMO is grass one of the things were getting back from TFC and MLSC as they just can’t handle game load like we had scheduled so we need another bonafide mark key facility. So it will have between it and Joy stadium you will have a soccer hub in Hamilton. 30 odd games probably when this is all said and done I don’t know the exact number yet, we are still working it through but it’s going to carry a good chunk majority of soccer. Kevin Werner: And is August 12, still the drop-dead date for council to make a decision? Ian Troop: I think so, you know, yes, it is, I mean, because we are rapidly closing election nearing time and so we need to get that settle down and decided before you are going into that kind of blackout period attributed to the elections. Kevin Werner: So no more extensions? Ian Troop: No. Kevin Werner: Okay. Thank you. http://www.toronto2015.org/lang/en/news/post-board-of-directors-meeting-regular-update-by-chair.html

Two points we should all keep in mind regarding this issue: 1. Urban renewal at the West Bay front can go on without the stadium – it seems we are trying to make this an “either/or” versus “and”. 2. It’s important that the economics of the potential scenarios fully understood – so the financial burden on the city of each is fully understood. Seems to me we have 2 possible outcomes from this: a) East Mountain, and b) West Bay Front (without the TiCats as a tenant). Do we understand the Legacy Plan and implications of each? Use? Tenants? Net operating costs to the City?

As soon as the Hamilton Police arrest a criminal they are quickly released on bail so they can continue to break the law and their bail conditions. The repeat offender rate runs about 75%. Hamilton needs some restorative justive thrown in the mix, as justice needs to be seen to be done for the public to buy in.

If you go to the city web site respecting the Future Fund you will discover that it hasn't accepted applications for projects since 2008 and that this fund is in re-building mode. The pool has been drained. Since sending in Fenn and the ORC was Premier Dalton McGuinty's brain wave, perhaps he should pony up the difference, since none of the west end supporters for the stadium have shown us any of their money, unlike Bob Young and the Tiger-Cat organization. Ian Troop, HostCo's CEO, has stated over and over that without the Tiger-Cats as partners, no stadium for Hamilton. I wonder what part of that statement Hamilton council doesn't understand? That's Hamilton, get used to it or get out and vote on election day.

Prediction, after deep-core sampling the west end site will be found to be geologically unsound and unstable, giving council a reason to endorse the east mountain site, without losing face, except for the millions spent on buying up west end toxic brownfield sites and throwing homeowners and businesses out of their neighbourhoods to make room for this concrete monolithic structure, via expropriation. All the property, that the future fund money paid for, will become just more brownfield inventory, Hamilton has a ton of it already. More than $10 million has been spent getting the land assembled already, with demolition and remediation costs completely unknown. That loot that's left ($50 million or less), plus the federal and provincial portion (70 million) will build a 15,000 seat stadium, Valodrome and warm-up track and parking for 600 cars in the west end residential neighbourhood. Due to councils ineptitude, and the Mayors panicky call for Premier Dalton McGuinty to stick his nose in, seems to have Hamilton council wondering if they should have been careful what they wished for, and are now jumping ship in droves to the east mountain compromise. All 16 members of Hamilton Council have about three weeks to make up their minds, the east mountain, or no games stadium, or Valodrome at all, Hostco has been clear about this for quite some time. Why does council treat Canada Bread like royalty and treats Bob Young, and the Tiger-Cats, like a door mat? Funny thing is, the Tiger-cats employ more Hamiltonians than Canada Bread ever will because all the employees losing their jobs in Toronto have first dibs on the new jobs in Hamilton. The estimate is about 75 new jobs might be available, sorta kinda. So in comparison, the Tiger-cats employ three times the amount of Hamiltonians Canada Bread might, three or four years into the future, if at all. If people don't like the stadium on the mountain, why are they so intent on shooting the messenger (Bob Young), instead of the architect of this whole unsightly Mexican Stand-off, Mayor Fred Eisenberger and the nine other councillors who drank Fred's Kool-aid and decided on the west end of Hamilton for the various venues on a wing and a prayer business plan concocted by advisors who were mandated to tell council what they wanted to hear (west end site), hardly an arms length approach or sound business case evaluation. And in case nobody noticed, Carmen's owner P. J. Mercanti has written a letter to council supporting the east mountain site for the Pan-Am Stadium and temporary warm-up track, something almost every high-school has, we don't need another one. After the games it can be removed from the site. As to the Velodrome, there is a 25 Acre property available across the street from Copps Colliseum that would be perfect for downtown renewal, not a massive concrete stadium a 1/4 of a mile away from downtown proper, Gore Park. Council should remember that the Valodrome has to be sited by Aug. 10th too, just like the rest of the venues. Burlington already has their shovels in the ground, whereas Hamilton is playing Russian roulette with a fully loaded pistol. That's Hamilton, get used to it, or get out and vote this fall.

I have yet to hear how the track and field stadium, velodrome and warm-up track will deliver the socio-economic benefits to revitalize downtown, over a quarter mile away.

HostCo rules and regulations stipulate that the Stadium must have a legacy tenant/partner, the Tiger-Cats are it. The EMED (East Mountain Stadium District) has one, and the WHSP (West Harbour Stadium Precinct) doesn't have one. Mayor Fred is the Architect of his own demise and should be held to account at the ballot box. That's why Games CEO Ian Troop gave Hamilton time to get their act together with the Tiger-Cats, or lose the Stadium and track events completely, even the Velodrome is now in question. IMHO, It should be severed from either proposed location and built right downtown, near Copps Colliseum. Plus, any huge parking lots at the EMED could be paved with the latest permiable materials, that allow rain water to be absorbed by the ground underneath. Enviro-technology and construction have come a long way in recent years, whereas road construction has not. All the roads that run paralell to the Linc on the Mountain provide local access to this area, as well as at least four bus routes that originate from various nodes, like Gore Park or Limeridge Mall. But what surprises me the most is the reaction of the West Harbour supporters, none of which actually live in the area itself. Most of those people living in the area are being ignored and their rights trampled. The people affected are having their homes expropriated and their businesses destroyed. The bill For demolition (Rheem property) and soil remediation will dwarf councils contribution to the actual Stadium. Remediating contaminated soil is very expensive and only one location in Ontario is allowed to do it. Millions of metric tons will have to be shipped there by truck, and will be using inner-city truck routes to get to the closest highway out of town.

Only Mayor Fred would think it's a bad idea to toss the boat anchor (West Harbour boondoggle) over the side when his city-building ship has clealy been broad-sided and sinking fast, just like the titanic. Meanwhile, instead of sticking around to help Mayor Fred bail, many Alderman are jumping ship, or walking out of the room like McCarthy, good news she's not running again in the municipal election, don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Good idea from Mr. Clark, there is even room to do that too, Google maps confirms it. As to Fred, yawn. He's only one vote.

Shutting down Merulla, after they have all had Fenn's draft report for days, is just a tad uppity coming from Mayor Fred.