Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday September 24, 2002
A City Hall to boost ‘image’
A team of developers vying to build Hamilton’s new City Hall says a brand new building is needed to boost the city’s sagging reputation and create a central meeting place of which the community can be proud.
Glorious architecture gallery
“We’re talking about more than just mortar and brick here — we’re talking about image, we’re talking about the city,” said Joe Mancinelli, vice-president of the Labourers International Union of North America (LIUNA) which has partnered with Hi-Rise Group in a proposal to build a new city hall on the current site downtown.
“What better way to show the citizens of Hamilton and everyone outside of Hamilton that we have a new image?”
The newly established business partners say they want to construct a new building on the land behind city hall, and demolish the old one when it’s complete.
The developers say they would pay the entire cost of construction, and lease the building back to the city for less than the city now pays each year for the facility and additional office space throughout the core. Taxes would not have to go up, they say.
“We’re not looking upon the city to spend a dime,” said Warren Green of Hi-Rise.
The LIUNA/Hi-Rise group is one of nine developers hoping to either build a new city hall, fix up the old one or renovate existing office space such as Hamilton City Centre or the Standard Life Building. (Hamilton Spectator)