Next Meeting: Wednesday November 6, 2019

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Bennetto Community Centre

There is a chill in the air as we move further into fall. October was a busy month complete with a federal election that produced a Liberal minority government and saw former Hamilton City Councillor Matthew Green of the NDP elected Member of Parliament for Hamilton Centre. Congratulations and best wishes to him. And a thank you to all candidates and their campaign teams.

Work continues on the new John Street Bridge, as well as the water main replacement and reconstruction of Ferguson Avenue between Simcoe and Burlington Streets. Work on the John Street Bridge is now expected to be completed by the end of November. No definitive timeline has been provided for the reconstruction of Ferguson Avenue, except that it should be complete before the end of the year.

Shortly after last month’s update was submitted the Hamilton Spectator reported that Indwell is now a partner in the redevelopment of CityHousing Hamilton’s Jamesville townhouses. Indwell is currently building 45 units of supportive housing as part of a development at the corner of James North and Picton Street that will also include a new place of worship for the Hughson Street Baptist Church. To our knowledge Indwells role in the Jamesville redevelopment relates to the affordable housing component specified in the City’s request for proposals (RFP) beyond the replacement units for CityHousing Hamilton.

The RFP specified an upside limit of 650 residential units inclusive of 46 replacement units for CityHousing Hamilton and an additional 45 units of affordable housing, with the latter not further specified in terms of what form the units could take or where on the affordability spectrum they might fall.

Additionally, we are still waiting for more information on the timeline and process for the redevelopment. Thus far there has been no opportunity for community input following the release of the RFP and selection of the preferred bidder.

At our October meeting discussion and a decision on whether NENA should ask to speak at future meeting of the City’s Planning Committee to request the City initiate a process to determine appropriate building heights and character for James Street North was put on hold. It is our understanding that the City plans to update Setting Sail to implement the recommendations of the James North Mobility Hub Study and bring it into the Urban Hamilton Official Plan (UHOP) once all OMB/LPAT appeals related to the West Harbour Waterfront, including Pier 8, are resolved.

Finally, our November meeting will be an opportunity for interested people to volunteer with NENA for the upcoming year. If you’d like to get involved, please attend or email us to let us know what you might be interested in doing and/or to inquire about the roles that need to be filled.

Regardless of your views on these or other matters, NENA wants to hear from you. To let us know your thoughts and concerns email us at nen.president@gmail.com or attend our monthly meeting.

For more up to date information visit www.NorthEndNeighbours.com