Plan calls for biking, fishing on beach strip
Richard Leitner, Stoney Creek
(Jun 16, 2006)
A citizens group's bid to open the east harbour's shoreline to fishing and other public uses is drawing support from the area's councillor and the Hamilton Conservation Authority.
Conceptual plans drafted by the Hamilton Beach Preservation Committee envision the strip between Windermere Basin and Burlington Canal being developed with a bike trail, fishing piers and wetlands.
To proceed, the plans will need backing from the Hamilton Port Authority, which owns much of the land in the area, including two open-water containment cells used for harbour dredging the group hopes will be converted to greenspace.
Chad Collins, councillor for the area, said he hopes the federal agency will be receptive to the desire to spruce up the area's image.
He said the project builds on the Beach Strip neighbourhood's renaissance and ties in with the new beach trail and Lakeland Pool to the east.
It should be able to tap a city reserve fund for its estimated $500,000 cost, he added.
"There's a lot we can do without tearing down those smokestacks at Stelco and Dofasco, which are an important part of our history," Mr. Collins said.
"We've changed the face of Hamilton's waterfront both in the east end and west harbour and every time we see a new tank or something like that on Eastport (Drive), it sets us back a step," Mr. Collins said.
"It makes it more difficult to build the neighbourhood and change the image of our city -- that's the biggest problem we have, the view over the skyway."
The preservation committee's plans have also received an enthusiastic endorsement from a Hamilton Conservation Authority advisory board.
Bruce Duncan, the authority's chief administrative officer, called the proposed mix of recreational uses and wetland restoration "great ideas."
While his agency doesn't own any land in the area, he said it would consider an active role -- including assuming ownership and management.
"We don't want to risk things or take on a significant environmental contamination liability," Mr. Duncan said.
"But we'd certainly consider it because trail, recreational use, wetland habitat, those are all things that we do and we manage and we own."
Beach preservation committee president Jim Howlett said the plans could help Hamilton tap a little-known tourism resource -- carp fishing.
"There are people that literally fly in here from far parts of the world like Australia to fish for carp on Eastport Drive," he said.
"Most days, from about May until August or September, you'll see vans and cars pulled over there and people who have spent a lot of money on top-notch carp fishing equipment.
"They're down there and having a great old time."
Mr. Howlett said Hamilton already has a surplus of industrial land and doesn't need any more by the beach strip or at the two containment cells -- which he'd like to be either emptied or capped to prevent leaching and exposure to wildlife.
"This stuff was our backyards," he said. "(We're) saying we want some of it back. The port authority doesn't need to expand in the east harbour. There's idle piers everywhere you go in the harbour."
The Port Authority could not be reached by News deadline.
But the plans are also backed by citizens group Environment Hamilton.
"We're pushing this very hard," said chairperson Mark Coakley, who favours an active role by the conservation authority.
"We believe they're more insulated from political pressures and they have a good record on this sort of thing," he said. "It's a perfect fit."
Richard Leitner, Stoney Creek
(Jun 16, 2006)
A citizens group's bid to open the east harbour's shoreline to fishing and other public uses is drawing support from the area's councillor and the Hamilton Conservation Authority.
Conceptual plans drafted by the Hamilton Beach Preservation Committee envision the strip between Windermere Basin and Burlington Canal being developed with a bike trail, fishing piers and wetlands.
To proceed, the plans will need backing from the Hamilton Port Authority, which owns much of the land in the area, including two open-water containment cells used for harbour dredging the group hopes will be converted to greenspace.
Chad Collins, councillor for the area, said he hopes the federal agency will be receptive to the desire to spruce up the area's image.
He said the project builds on the Beach Strip neighbourhood's renaissance and ties in with the new beach trail and Lakeland Pool to the east.
It should be able to tap a city reserve fund for its estimated $500,000 cost, he added.
"There's a lot we can do without tearing down those smokestacks at Stelco and Dofasco, which are an important part of our history," Mr. Collins said.
"We've changed the face of Hamilton's waterfront both in the east end and west harbour and every time we see a new tank or something like that on Eastport (Drive), it sets us back a step," Mr. Collins said.
"It makes it more difficult to build the neighbourhood and change the image of our city -- that's the biggest problem we have, the view over the skyway."
The preservation committee's plans have also received an enthusiastic endorsement from a Hamilton Conservation Authority advisory board.
Bruce Duncan, the authority's chief administrative officer, called the proposed mix of recreational uses and wetland restoration "great ideas."
While his agency doesn't own any land in the area, he said it would consider an active role -- including assuming ownership and management.
"We don't want to risk things or take on a significant environmental contamination liability," Mr. Duncan said.
"But we'd certainly consider it because trail, recreational use, wetland habitat, those are all things that we do and we manage and we own."
Beach preservation committee president Jim Howlett said the plans could help Hamilton tap a little-known tourism resource -- carp fishing.
"There are people that literally fly in here from far parts of the world like Australia to fish for carp on Eastport Drive," he said.
"Most days, from about May until August or September, you'll see vans and cars pulled over there and people who have spent a lot of money on top-notch carp fishing equipment.
"They're down there and having a great old time."
Mr. Howlett said Hamilton already has a surplus of industrial land and doesn't need any more by the beach strip or at the two containment cells -- which he'd like to be either emptied or capped to prevent leaching and exposure to wildlife.
"This stuff was our backyards," he said. "(We're) saying we want some of it back. The port authority doesn't need to expand in the east harbour. There's idle piers everywhere you go in the harbour."
The Port Authority could not be reached by News deadline.
But the plans are also backed by citizens group Environment Hamilton.
"We're pushing this very hard," said chairperson Mark Coakley, who favours an active role by the conservation authority.
"We believe they're more insulated from political pressures and they have a good record on this sort of thing," he said. "It's a perfect fit."