Hall Marks with Emma Reilly

Spotted at City Hall

You never know who's going to turn up at City Hall. This morning, it was former mayor Larry Di Ianni and MPP Ted McMeekin.

Di Ianni - who is looking a little more relaxed than when I saw him last on the campaign trail - was in and out of councillors' offices all day. The interesting thing is, he was lobbying with Wilson Nolan, the CEO of Liberty Energy. That's the private company that wants to partner with the city to build a garbage and sludge incinerator. I wrote a big article in yesterday's paper about how the city is revisiting its garbage policies. It seems that the Larry/Liberty team is reaching out to councillors just as they're about to decide what to do about Hamilton's waste. (I've said it before and I'll say it again -- this is why the city needs a lobbyist registry).

Another interesting tidbit is that Larry is holding a fundraiser tonight to help pay off his campaign debt. It was originally scheduled for Feb. 2 - the day of the big groundhog day storm - and rescheduled for tonight. Apparently his rivals Fred Eisenberger and Mayor Bob Bratina will also be there.

McMeekin walked up the stairs as I was chatting with Larry. They shook hands, then Larry thanked Ted for the province's $22.5 million injection to the Pan Am stadium.

McMeekin said he wasn't at the Hall for any particular reason -- apparently he was just in the area buying Backstreet Boys tickets for his daughters and decided to stop by. I asked whether he was going to the concert too -- but Ted said he was sitting this one out. 

We're deep into budget discussions at City Hall, but I will keep you posted if I see any other notable comings and goings!

Jammin'

I walked into council chambers tonight and saw Mayor Bratina jamming away with local blues musician Harrison Kennedy.

I can honestly say this is the first time I have encountered a pre-council jam session. I chatted with Harrison on his way out and he said Bratina invited him to play before council.

Another change tonight was a student was invited to sing the national anthem before student council -- a nice change from the tinny recording they usually play.

One thing you can say for Mayor Bratina -- he is certainly full of surprises.

 

What would LRT look like?

The city has put together this YouTube video showing what LRT would look like in Hamilton. Take a look:

I think this is really interesting. This animation is recognizably Hamilton's downtown (they have even included some classic downtown storefronts like Money Mart and Rock N'Tees) and it really gives you a sense of how LRT could operate. It also shows how the LRT transit would interact with other traffic. At one point in the video, you can even see an HSR bus turning into the MacNab Street terminal.

I think this video is a smart move for the city. LRT looks like it's going to be a tough sell for many Hamiltonians, and this video gives a little glimpse of the possibilities.

Thoughts?