Pan Am D-Day

Today's the day, folks. After months of speculation, council will be voting on the location of the Pan Am stadium. I've been told that today's meeting will be long and full of fireworks.

I thought I would keep you updated throughout the day on the blog - so check back in periodically to see how things are going.

9:47 - Chris Murray, the city manager, is kicking things off with a general presentation about the games.
Brad Clark has already voiced some opposition about the closed-door portion of the meeting later today. He argued that there was very little confidential information to discuss, so council should address it in public. The city's legal staff shot that suggestion down.

9:56 - City finance guy Rob Rossini says it would cost $18 to $20 million to keep Ivor Wynne going over the next 10 years. Beyond 10 years, the city could spend as much as $93 million. A new stadium will cost $128 million, $55 million of which will be city money.

10:15 - Some councillors are already on the offensive. Sam Merulla just asked a very pointed question about whether the Pan Am stadium will be area rated (like Ivor Wynne).

10:42 - The consultant from Deloitte just finished going through the details of his report. Lots of councillors are waiting to speak - but first out the gate is (you guessed it) Merulla.  He's asking (none too politely) about how many days the stadium will be in use per year.

11:52 - Council members are still asking questions about the Deloitte report. We still have to get through public delegations, the debate, and the in-camera session.
Lloyd Ferguson just brought up the parking issue - he said his residents support the west harbour location, but "they wonder what we're smoking down here" that so few parking spots are on the table.

12:35 - Moving very, very slowly along. We're starting to hear public delegations right now. First up is Chamber of Commerce CEO John Dolbec, who is endorsing the West Harbour location. Other delegates included Andrew Iler from the National Cycling Centre, Tom Cooper from the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction and Kathy Drewitt from the downtown BIA.

2:08 - The public delegations are finally finished. At this rate, this meeting won't be finished until 7 p.m. Everyone is taking a much-needed half-hour break.

2:45 - We're back. Apparently some councillors have to leave around 3:30 - so in the interest of time, they're voting on the location of the stadium right now.

3:28 - We're very, very close to the vote. Councillor Brian McHattie just announced he will oppose the West Harbour spot because he's concerned his colleagues will push for more parking spots. He says his support of West Harbour is contingent on alternative means of transportation taking a leading role.

3:34 - It's official - the stadium will be at the West Harbour. Council has gone into camera for a deeper look at some remediation issues.

Here's the count:
For:

Collins
Duvall
Ferguson
Jackson
Morelli
Pasuta
Pearson
Powers
Whitehead
Eisenberger

Against:
Bratina
Clark
McCarthy
McHattie
Merulla

Absent:
MItchell

6:10 - Council is still in camera and I'm about ready to pack it in for the night. Stay tuned to tomorrow's paper for John Kernaghan's summary of the vote, my look at what's next for the velodrome and Andrew Dreschel's column about yesterday's meeting. Thanks for checking in!

Comments

[Tom Robertson]

my bet is they will find a reason to send it back to staff for more study

[Rick]

This is a done deal - save for some whining from some councillors about insignificant issues.

Let's get the shovels in the ground and move on!!!

[Tom Robertson]

Sam is showboating before the election. Was he not smart enough to ask staff this question until the last minute at this meeting? Who will ask the next dumb question they should already had the initiative to find out the answer?

[Rick]

You're wasting your breath end everybody's time Sam - save your electioneering for November. The stadium is being built at the West Harbour - whether you like it or not.

[Yves Dubeau]

Typically council screws things up on the onset of things to happen. In this case the city commited itself to the PanAm games and realy can not go back on their decision. What's left to screw up you might ask? The delivery of a stadium, just watch unfurl as time goes on.Plain and simply I do not think that the city could organize a piss-up in a brewery, they would argue about the free beer!
Yves Dubeau

[kevv]

land cleanup has already been estimated to be higher than 10 mil. as of today ,just wait it will reach 35mil. if the bus terminal cost 9mil for half an acre ,were in big trouble. stop now and rethink location where theres no extra cost for contimated soil. if a bakery is spendin 150mil. in glanbrook because of highway access maybe we should follow suit.wake up hamilton do the smart thing for once and look like we know how to run a real city,dont build another skydome.

[Kathy Hagan]

I think this whole issue should be shelved until we get a competent council.
And no behind closed doors confabs this is public money and taxpayers will be on the hook forever if the stadium cost is not capped.
I love the idea of having a stadium at the West Harbour but not at any price.

[Yves Dubeau]

As an a side issue but relating to council. i read in the paper regarding Dominion Bread setting up shop in Hamilton and creating employment. The acquisition of the land for the new plant was presented to council the other day for final approval. Council said it was the first that they heard about this deal. Bravo to city staff in keeping council away from the decision making process thus avoiding sabotage from council. They seem to know council better than we do!

[Tom Robertson]

I hope the mayor shows some leadership here and makes them sit through until morning if thats how long it takes to make the decision

[Tom Robertson]

Come election time each councillor will be touting how they brought Dominion Bread to Hamilton.

[craig duvall]

This just makes me laugh louder.I so much agree with u all.But, saying this, what really makes me wonder is do councill have any wits about them at all, to read these columns and learn what people are trying to say,DUH!I BET NOPE

[Rick]

Ferguson is concerned about parking?? And I suppose parking has never been a problem at Ivor Wynne??? -

There is ample parking within walking distance of the West Harbour - not to mention transit improvements that need to be made anyway in addition to possible GO and VIA stops practically on the stadium doorstep.

Yes, I guess we need to ask Lloyd - what are YOU smoking. Good Grief, let's get on with it!

[PeterG]

Lets get on with this!!Its taken 1 year to get this going, the report says its the best spot and in my opinion it is by far!!Parking is no problem whatsoever.Everyone in Hamilton West wants the radio man out as a city councillor in this area, so who cares what he thinks,i guess he wants no jobs in this area and is very happy on how the area looks now!

[Rick]

I agree with you Peter - time for Bratina to hand in the keys to City Hall. Stick to radio Bobby - you've done precious little to improve your ward since you became councillor.

[Tom Robertson]

Emma please report how each councillor voted and who was absent

[Tom Robertson]

Emma could you please also report who had to leave early that had something else more important than dealing with this issue?

[PeterG]

We were very lucky to get these games here.It will mean lots of needed jobs and help us at last get on the map maybe an NHL team next. All councillors that vote no to this should not be re-elected.

[PeterG]

Is BRIAN insane? Well thats 2 no s,Bratina and McHattie

[ed]

Imagine listening to city staff and officials, thats just too funny. Aren't they the ones who've reduced the city to a laffing stock of debt and ridiculous spending on a downtown thats falling on our heads. But hey, they want fridges in their offices, new computers and lots more blackberries, so their good for something I guess. The harbour will be a huge mistake, the mountain will be a huge success, wakey wakey people.

[PeterG]

GREAT NEWS now lets get the shovels in the ground ASAP

[ed]

Dummies listening to dummies, equals dummies to the power of 2. This will cost a fortune and we'll end up parking down shady streets with no lights. The car stereo thieves are licking their collective chops.

[Tom Robertson]

Work should begin ASAP to get Hamiltonian's working. McHattie is daft to flip flop his support over parking. Emma was Mitchell absent from the meeting all day or just when it came time to vote?

[Dan Jelly]

While I'm a little disappointed that Councillor McHattie opposed the site, I completely understand his reasoning. There are more creative ways of handling the logistics than to pave the north half of Wards 1 and 2.

[Emma]

Tom, I remember seeing Mitchell earlier in the day, but I'm not sure where he went.

[Kathy Hagan]

Well now they have decided that the west Harbour is the site, let us up hope that money and lots of it will pour in from the private sector. I have never been opposed to the west Harbour site but some chunks of cash certainly need to fall from somewhere to make it happen.
Bob Bratina should now get on board and if he is concerned too by the cost he should be lobbying his business friends to ante up.
Thanks to Emma for the ongoing reporting.