Reproduced with the permission of The Hamilton Spectator.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007 | Updated at 8:54 AM EST
Giant geyser floated as way to market city
Nicole Macintyre
Imagine if the view from the Burlington Bay Skyway was a towering geyser shooting straight out of the harbour. Would it change how you felt about Hamilton?
Councillor Bob Bratina thinks so.
"It might give us a little more pride," he said of his 120-metre-high fountain idea inspired by the Jet d'eau in Geneva. "I saw it years ago and never got it out of my mind."
Councillor Brian McHattie wants to add wind turbines to Bratina's vision, while Sam Merulla sees video billboards along the Queen Elizabeth Way advertising what Hamilton has to offer.
Improving the city's image is a top priority for council, which sat down yesterday to brainstorm capital projects.
The towering fountain, an idea copied around the world, would be a memorable gateway, said Bratina, who imagines nightly light shows on the water stream that would be twice as tall as the bridge.
"It makes a statement about Hamilton and its relationship with water."
Mayor Fred Eisenberger said despite the cost of about $1 million, it is worth exploring.
"We have to invest in our image."
Share your ideas for the city's image at http://hallmarks.thespec.com
nmacintyre@thespec.com
905-526-3299
Tuesday, March 06, 2007 | Updated at 8:54 AM EST
Giant geyser floated as way to market city
Nicole Macintyre
Imagine if the view from the Burlington Bay Skyway was a towering geyser shooting straight out of the harbour. Would it change how you felt about Hamilton?
Councillor Bob Bratina thinks so.
"It might give us a little more pride," he said of his 120-metre-high fountain idea inspired by the Jet d'eau in Geneva. "I saw it years ago and never got it out of my mind."
Councillor Brian McHattie wants to add wind turbines to Bratina's vision, while Sam Merulla sees video billboards along the Queen Elizabeth Way advertising what Hamilton has to offer.
Improving the city's image is a top priority for council, which sat down yesterday to brainstorm capital projects.
The towering fountain, an idea copied around the world, would be a memorable gateway, said Bratina, who imagines nightly light shows on the water stream that would be twice as tall as the bridge.
"It makes a statement about Hamilton and its relationship with water."
Mayor Fred Eisenberger said despite the cost of about $1 million, it is worth exploring.
"We have to invest in our image."
Share your ideas for the city's image at http://hallmarks.thespec.com
nmacintyre@thespec.com
905-526-3299