LRT LAST GASP
Mayor: ‘I’m doing everything I can’
It’s hard to think of Terry Whitehead, LRT’s harshest critic on council, as the project’s saviour, but that’s how he sees himself.
Whitehead believes his motion to put off voting on a key study has kept the faltering $1-billion project alive.
“It would have gone down tonight,” the west Mountain councillor said after Wednesday’s 13hour meeting. “I saved it. The votes weren’t there.”
Whitehead’s motion to defer voting on the environmental assessment (EA) report until next Wednesday’s council meeting passed 8-7.
Some may see that as a temporary stay of execution. But Whitehead believes the delay has opened the door to potential game-changing behind-the-scene talks.
“A lot can happen in a week. I can’t go into any more details. But I can tell you a lot can happen that could enhance the support for LRT.”
Whitehead is clearly referring to the prospect of overhauling the plan to include three extra kilo-
It only addresses and benefits a quarter of people. For people on the Mountain and other areas of the city, I just don’t see how it really benefits them. MONICA ROTCHDEUTSCH, AGE 59, INTERVIEWED AT UNIVERSITY PLAZA
I’m not sure about the short-term benefit. I do see a great deal of long-term benefit in regards to investment in Hamilton.” GEORGE KETSETZIS, AGE 59, INTERVIEWED AT JACKSON SQUARE
metres of track to Eastgate Square, the original east-end terminus that was dropped in favour of the Queenston Traffic Circle, when the Liberal government announced project funding in 2015.
Restoring the route to 14 km would add close to $200 million to the construction cost, but Whitehead says the addition of a distinct east-end destination would not only convince him to hold his nose and vote for the project, but others as well.
Unsurprisingly, Mayor Fred Eisenberger has a tough time suddenly seeing Whitehead as light rail’s guardian angel.
“Let me suggest that if it wasn’t for (Whitehead) we wouldn’t be having this conversation. He’s been the source of a lot of consternation around this project.”
As far as Eastgate goes, the mayor isn’t prepared to say if there’s a possibility of it being reinstated.
“I don’t know. Eastgate is certainly a desire everyone has had, but certainly it is not on the table right now.”
Nor will he say if he’s quietly speaking to the province about putting it on the table.
“As I’ve said before, I’m doing everything I can with all parties to find a way for getting this project to proceed to an EA and to fulfil the $1-billion investment.”
People can read into that what they will. But the chances of a completed Hail Mary pass between now and next week are pretty remote.
A formal Eastgate proposal or even a last-minute pitch for bus rapid transit instead of light rail could emerge as fallback positions if the EA fails to win council’s approval.
But come next Wednesday, councillors will most likely be where they were this Wednesday: Facing an EA vote based on the project as it stands now.
If they vote to send the EA to the province, the project continues. If they don’t, we’ll be in uncharted waters, facing the prospect of LRT either sinking below the waves or floundering to stay afloat. That brings us back to the vote split. As mentioned, Whitehead’s deferral motion passed 8-7. The six pro-LRT council members — Eisenberger, Sam Merulla, Lloyd Ferguson, Matthew Green, Jason Farr and Aidan Johnson — all voted against the deferral, a reversal of last month’s position when all except Green supported a delay to give councillors time to frame more questions.
Brenda Johnson, an LRT opponent who represents Glanbrook, Stoney Creek and Winona, cast the seventh vote against the latest delay. Don’t mistake that for a change of heart. Johnson said via email she simply didn’t want to postpone the vote any longer. Give her credit for having the courage of her convictions. After all, when you’re ready to slay something, “then ’twere well it were done quickly.”
That leaves Eisenberger still searching for two elusive votes to get a majority, with Arlene VanderBeek, Maria Pearson, Tom Jackson and Doug Conley the most feasible converts.
No doubt they’re all under a ton of pressure from both sides of the Great Divide. Both Conley and Pearson were flooded with calls from voters Wednesday night, half for the project, half against. Conley, who represents upper and a portion of lower Stoney Creek, says there’s a “big possibility” the EA will be rejected next Wednesday. But no doubt he’s echoing all their thoughts when he says, “I’ve got a lot of thinking to do.”