Hamilton residents split on LRT as public sessions continue

People float alternative routes, voice concerns

Opinions on LRT were split at two public LRT sessions as the city and developers seek out the public’s input on its $1-billion LRT project.

On Tuesday, Hamilton City Hall hosted the second and third public LRT sessions, running from 3-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. About 100 people attended the afternoon session.

In the afternoon session, Mountain resident Mike O’Connor said he sees no reason to disrupt the businesses and the downtown road network which already provides “tremendous transportation.” He would rather see the LRT head up the Mountain past the two St. Joe’s sites, Mohawk College, connecting to retirement homes, and sending a spur line to the airport.

The sessions also featured updates such as a newly planned maintenance facility next to McMaster Innovation Park, a plan to transform Hughson Street from Gore Park to the Hamilton Go Centre into a pedestrian walkway, and early discussion about building a transit hub at McMaster with an LRT stop, GO and HSR buses.

Patricia Saunders, an 85-year-old resident from the Mountain attending the afternoon session, believes LRT can play an important role in connecting the city and becoming more environmentally responsible, but says the current plan doesn’t help seniors on the Mountain giving up driving.

She usually has multiple appointments a day, and “the only way I can do that is to take a car.”

Metrolinx point person Andrew Hope said they are looking at feedback on stop locations and pedestrian crossings in particular. While all responses are welcome, he said that feedback on corridor location is “not what we’re looking at now.”

“If that decision changes on either the city or provincial level, we’ll take our cues from the governments.”

Central Hamilton resident Tony Lemma, 53, attending the evening session, was pleased with current LRT plans, calling them “transformative,” though he did suggest adding a stop at Gage Park — a popular suggestion, according to Hope.

Besides being a major Hamilton attraction, the park is in a location

that lets people get “pretty much anywhere in the city,” said Lemma.

Mountain resident Paul Russumanno, 30, attending the evening session, is in support of the LRT but was disappointed that current plans do not extend to Eastgate Square. “If we don’t think about how this is going to integrate with the city, this is all going to be for not,” he said.

He would like to see Bus Rapid Transit on the Mountain provide access to an LRT station and more SoBi bikes for access to BRT.