Big changes coming to west harbour
City pushing ahead for work to begin on promenade, housing
The $6.5-million Pier 8 Promenade Park design that was unveiled Friday is one in a series of multimillion-dollar projects nearing a construction phase that will radically transform Hamilton’s waterfront.
“You are going to see a lot of changes in the west harbour over the next two years,” said Chris Phillips, who heads up waterfront development for the City of Hamilton.
The city has dedicated $80 million to move projects forward in Pier 8 as well as in Piers 6 and 7 that are designed to increase public access and lay the groundwork for the massive housing and commercial project at Pier 8.
The most visible work on Pier 8 will be on the promenade park in the spring. That will happen in tandem with shoreline rehabilitation and infrastructure construction across the pier.
In addition, infrastructure work will take place in Pier 6 and 7 while the piers are made more pedestrian-friendly with the addition of a “commercial village.”
Scott Torrance, from Forrec Ltd. — the Toronto landscape architecture company that won the design contest for the Pier 8 Prome-
nade Park — says he believes Hamilton’s waterfront has great potential. The issues are similar to what many waterfront cities have been going through.
“Cities all over the world are recognizing the value of their waterfronts. They were traditionally places of industry but cities everywhere are relooking at them and seeing their ecological value as well as their potential as places for people to live and for recreation,” he said.
However, various aspects of the city’s west harbour plan are being challenged to the Ontario Municipal Board.
North End resident and lawyer Herman Turkstra summed up much of the concerns by asking: “How do you get people through the North End without harming the neighbourhood?”
But the city is confident its plans will survive.
Here are some highlights of how the city wants to develop Hamilton’s waterfront: