‘Fix the damn roads:’ Mayoral candidates see road to election paved with asphalt fixes
Is the bumpy road to a mayoral election win paved with asphalt-repair promises?
That's apparently one of the big demands candidate Keanin Loomis is hearing from would-be voters at the door - sometimes in colourful language.
There are at least two things we are hearing consistently. One is the need for change at city hall. The other is the need to fix the damn roads," said the first-time mayoral candidate this week - adding that's the sanitized summary of oft-offered opinions.
The former head of the chamber of commerce held his latest campaign announcement on Barton Street East because it was recently named worst road" in an annual unpopularity contest held by the Canadian Automobile Association.
Loomis pledged to get the crumbling sections of Barton fixed as mayor, but later clarified in response to questions he would rely on road staff expertise - not CAA marketing - to determine repair priorities.
Potholes are often on the minds of voters, and therefore politicians. Ahead of the 2018 election, council voted for an extra $20 million in emergency shave and paves" in the face of outrage over a record number of pothole complaints.
Loomis' road-fixing pledges do not rely on more local tax dollars, he stressed - but he plans to pursue other levels of government for infrastructure help. The point is not that the city doesn't have money, it's that we're not spending our money wisely." In particular, he pledged to enact improvements suggested in a critical auditor report on roads last year, create a 311 reporting system for citizens and crack down on contractors that do a poor job.
His major competitors, including former MP and mayor Bob Bratina and past provincial NDP leader Andrea Horwath, have yet to release detailed platforms - but both want to talk about Hamilton's infamous infrastructure deficit.
Our roads and sidewalks, our sewer overflow systems, and our city buildings are in desperate need of attention and thoughtful investment," said Horwath in a statement.
Bratina also noted by email the sad and well-known story" of Hamilton's deteriorating streets and said the city needs a real plan to start catching up." He is slated to announce more details and campaign priorities Aug. 18.
Parking lots to homes
The city should look to its own land assets to help fill Hamilton's affordable housing gap, says Ward 2 candidate Cameron Kroetsch.
An immediate assessment of that potential is part of his housing platform, says Kroetsch, who's taking a second run at the seat. How can we bring that to the table and leverage those assets?"
He's delved into the question using city data to map out municipally owned parcels along the future LRT line. Kroetsch says he found 21 sites and 12.4 acres of land, including parking lots, where affordable housing could be built in partnership with non-profit agencies.
His interactive map is published on the Downtown Sparrow website at downtownsparrow.ca. City land can be sold for a quick income," he said, but once you sell public land, it's gone forever."
Council has asked staff to draft a land acquisition plan along the LRT corridor for affordable housing and other community amenities.
So far, Raquel Rakovac is Kroetsch's only competition in Ward 2. Coun. Jason Farr hasn't yet announced if he's running again. The deadline to file papers is Aug. 19.
Matthew Van Dongen is a reporter at The Spectator. mvandongen@thespec.com
Teviah Moro is a reporter at The Spectator. tmoro@thespec.com