Eisenberger pushing digital

Incumbent mayor hints about film studio eyeing city

Fred Eisenberger is vowing to improve broadband internet access and explore “free or lowcost” Wi-Fi opportunities across Hamilton as part of his mayoral re-election bid.

He also teased — again — a “forthcoming” announcement about a film studio hoping to set up shop in the city.

The incumbent visited digital animation company Pipeline Studios on George Street to talk about the importance of a “strong digital economy” Thursday. In a later interview, Eisenberger said a still-unnamed film production studio has “confirmed its interest” in locating in Hamilton.

The Spectator reported as far back as June the city economic development department was talking to a studio that wants to set up shop on the city’s failed stadium lands in the BartonTiffany area. But city staff are still studying the feasibility of using those contentious properties for a studio given the years of past neighbourhood planning — and a painful tribunal hearing — that currently call for new homes and commercial businesses for the land near the CN shunting yard.

The mayor hinted in September a company was ready to jump in if the land was available. Eisenberger confirmed Thursday the studio eyeing Hamilton is interested in those lands and exploring “strategic acquisitions.” But he added the BartonTiffany block “is not the only location under consideration.” Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro, who filmed “The Shape of Water” partly in Hamilton, said last year he liked to set up a studio in the city.

Eisenberger also emphasized the need to improve broadband internet access in both the urban and rural areas, calling it “as important as water and utilities.” He also said the city will explore opportunities to offer “free or low cost” Wi-Fi in more public places like parks.

Council actually killed a free Wi-Fi program downtown several years ago. But the city has just started experimenting with free Wi-Fi on HSR buses — and earlier this term, Ward 3 Coun. Matthew Green spearheaded free Wi-Fi in Gage Park. At the time, he expressed hope the experiment would eventually serve as a blueprint for parks and public spaces across the city.

The media release for the event also talks about the city’s efforts to reach out to HSR riders via Twitter and new open data opportunities for residents. The city has come in for heavy criticism in the past about how difficult it is to access taxpayerowned data. HSR riders also complained loudly about being left in the dark during the height of the recent no-show bus crisis.