Pier 8: The leap from concepts to reality

Very nice. All six of the just-released design concepts for Hamilton’s Pier 8 Promenade Park have appealing qualities. They’re bright, atmospheric, high-quality and have that modern look and feel that would be at home in a high end real estate or architectural magazine.

And they all have lots of people. And trees. And nice Lake Ontario land and waterscapes. But … Those of us long enough in the tooth to remember design concepts for the roof of Jackson Square might recall the appealing look of the rooftop park. It had trees, and public art. And lots of people. The reality ended up being quite different. The same is true, to a point, of city hall’s forecourt. And who doesn’t remember the wonderful illustrations of Gore Park in its various iterations through the years. Have any of the incarnations lived up to those bright and hopeful artistic concepts?

We don’t mean to rain on the Pier 8 parade. All the concepts do many things right. Perhaps most importantly, they all feature very obvious and visible public access, which is crucial if Hamilton is to avoid the waterfront development mistakes made by that other, much larger, city just down the highway.

But it’s one thing to include lots of people and trees in the artistic rendering. At the risk of overstating the obvious, that doesn’t make it real. How does the city attract a critical mass of people to live and work in the area? How will they get there? Lots of trees is very appealing. How are they nurtured and maintained? (Keep in mind the city’s record of tree management is not stellar. How are the trees in the current Gore Park?)

Visioning is important. And it makes perfect sense that the people pitching the various visions imbue them with optimism. But let’s not minimize the real heavy lifting involved in this massive project. The integrated planning, consultation and execution demanded is huge, and requires diligent and competent oversight. If any of that is sold short, it could limit the potential so evident here. And we cannot have that.

This is some of the most valuable and desirable real estate in Hamilton, and arguably far beyond that. The economic, city-building and lifestyle potential is enormous, as is the pressure to make sure it works. Remember, the Sarcoa project was overflowing with potential, admittedly on a much smaller scale. Look how that worked out.

A final note on the design concepts. All are certainly adequate, and personal preference will dictate which of the six you prefer. To a fair degree, it’s a subjective process. But are any of the concepts on the short list truly outstanding? Are they iconic in the way landmarks in other major cities are? Do they make a statement? Perhaps that’s in the eye of the beholder, too.