Hamilton council takes one more step towards LRT development

It looks like Hamilton is one step closer to becoming the urban centre that everyone knows it can be. Hamilton city councillors have voted to create an LRT office, an LRT sub-committee, and develop a memorandum of agreement with Metrolinx to bring this $1 billion, 10-year transportation plan to life.

The next step is to conduct a report outlining how the City should proceed over the next decade to get the LRT built on time and on budget. An environmental assessment will also be conducted. The LRT will have two lines. The A-Line connects Hamilton GO Station and West Harbour GO Station along James Street North, and the B-Line connects McMaster University to Queenston Circle along King Street. Clearly, the two lines benefit not only working professionals in the downtown core, but also students.

B-Line - via metrolinx.com

“It’s definitely going to attract more young professionals, but not just young professionals. It will attract a lot of different kinds of riders,” says Jason Thorne, General Manager of Planning and Economic Development, City of Hamilton. “There’s a very diverse mix of housing types along the LRT corridor and there’s something for every family type. It will make those diverse neighbourhoods more accessible to a lot more people.”

“We’re already seeing interest in building student residences or residential developments geared towards students in the downtown core,” Thorne adds. Most of the existing student housing is clustered within walking distance of McMaster, but the LRT makes it possible to add student life to the already diverse downtown area.

Though Hamilton is one step closer to having a more efficient mode of public transportation, there are still a few obstacles. According to CHCH, some members of council are still unsure as to why the B-Line should operate on King instead of Main Street, which is wider and may make more sense with regards to traffic congestion.   

Another challenge will be the partnership with the government. If you can recall, Hamilton didn’t have the best experience working with Infrastructure Ontario when it came to developing the Tim Horton’s Field for the Pan Am Games. There were many delays and Infrastructure Ontario ended up delivering the completed stadium nearly a year after its due date. There was a lot of speculation about the delays experienced during the construction of the stadium, so no one can take any of the blame, but nonetheless, it was a tough experience for the City of Hamilton.  

One more potential issue that council must focus on is the possibility of tax increases that could force some current homeowners out of their homes, though Thorne says that it shouldn’t be a cause for concern. Hamilton has a few highly anticipated housing developments in the works, and right now, many people see the city as an affordable alternative to the soaring Toronto prices. An LRT is definitely necessary to move the growing population, and hopefully it won’t be at the cost of displacing current residents.

According to Thorne, the next steps involve pre-zoning development hubs along the LRT line. The City of Hamilton is approaching the zoning as if they were residential and commercial developers, with the hopes of speeding up the approval process when it comes time to develop the land. The pre-zoning will exclude any non-transit supportive development, such as car washes, auto dealerships, or commercial space with large surface parking lots.

Via metrolinx.com

New Hamilton condos

There is plenty of new development planned and in the works in Hamilton. Recently, Colliers international outlined a few reasons why new businesses should move to Hamilton, such as affordability, a skilled labour force, and shorter commute times.

Even just looking at the two corridors, Main and King, there are many exciting condos in the works. The Residences of Royal Connaught is a luxury development by Spallacci Group and Valery Homes, which is being built next to the soon-to-be revitalized Gore Park. 101 Locke Condos is another development by Spallacci, which is in the preconstruction phase a few minutes west of the Royal Connaught development. And, The Connolly is another new preconstruction condo by Stanton Renaissance.

“The stops will become hubs for new development, but not necessarily just condos,” explains Thorne. As mentioned above, there is a wide range of housing types along the LRT lines, so there will definitely be a lot of new low-rise and mid-rise developments popping up, too.

Without a doubt, the LRT will be an attractive selling point for any developer bringing a new residential community to Hamilton. If all goes according to plan, Hamilton’s new LRT should be fully operational by 2024.

Would a more efficient method of getting around Hamilton entice you to move there?

Feature image via metrolinx.com