13 steps to a better downtown

The City of Hamilton is developing a 10-year downtown revitalization strategy and stakeholders pitched their ideas to create a vibrant, successful core.

“Some people can't shake the weight of the past
Some people's hearts remain at half-mast
It's downtown where it all intersects
Some came from the mountain, college kids from the west
And not every suit lies right through their teeth
There's good and there's bad, and there's some in between
As I wait for the bus coming from the east
There's generations of pride and yeah, elbow grease!”

– “Cynical Bastards,” Arkells

This past spring, I joined approximately 50 people from various sectors in Hamilton to gather for a discussion about the state of downtown Hamilton. We were all united in our interest and passion for a vibrant and successful downtown. More specifically, the session provided participants with the opportunity to learn about and discuss priorities for the 10-year downtown revitalization strategy that the City of Hamilton is currently developing. Although members from the City attended and spoke about municipal initiatives, this was an event organized and attended by downtown stakeholders and city-builders themselves, and the outcomes speak to the expectations and desires of many who live and work downtown.

Thirteen key themes emerged from the discussion that can help build a stronger downtown:

1. Now is not the time to let up. It is more important than ever to support recent and ongoing investments, and to keep generating downtown activity. Many investments (new businesses, student residences, and apartment buildings in the core) are recently occupied or reaching completion. Other big investments, like the LRT and the arena precinct renewal, are underway. These investments are most likely to succeed and revitalize downtown if they take place in the context of continued activity that helps create critical mass and supportive conditions. It is therefore important to keep up the momentum with downtown improvements and new building projects. Stakeholders urge the City to support development by retaining business and development incentives, and reducing red tape.
   
2. Safety and security. Stakeholders continue to identify safety and security as a top priority, with particular emphasis on ensuring downtown employees feel safe. Participants want to see near-term action in the form of reinstating a regular police presence and in investing in urban design and planning that support safe routes between places of work and transit, parking, and other destinations. Stakeholders want safety and security that is approached as a long-term investment in making downtown attractive for diverse users.
   
3. Embed equity in revitalization and balance the benefits of investments for diverse users. Participants want to ensure that downtown investments, interventions and incentives support downtown users broadly, in addition to supporting business activity. This requires careful upfront planning, consideration of assumptions being used regarding economic impacts, and transparent tracking of outcomes. Participants also want plans to bake in equity as a desired outcome, and for plans to strive for a sense of inclusion for all downtown users. For example, there is a potential role for the City to play a role in proactively identifying housing options for people who may be affected by revitalization efforts.
   
4. We need proactive downtown branding and positive storytelling. There are many good news stories for the downtown, but they are not being shared effectively. Instead, negative narratives are taking hold and affecting people’s perceptions of downtown. Stakeholders want to see more effort from all actors in promoting the positive aspects of downtown, and for the downtown revitalization effort to contribute to the development of a stronger overall brand for downtown to retain and attract residents, businesses and visitors.
   
5. Downtown needs a cohesive urban design treatment. While there have been important urban design investments downtown (for example, on King William Street, at Gore Park, etc.), the physical appearance of downtown is slipping. Participants want the downtown revitalization strategy and major investments like The Commons (the collective revitalization of TD Coliseum, Concert Hall and the Hamilton Convention Centre) to result in investments in urban design that will create a cohesive identity and sense of place downtown, improving the experience for all users. Stakeholders would like urban design efforts to incorporate resiliency strategies, reflect local culture, and incorporate Indigenous input and design approaches. Downtown stakeholders also note that bigger, strategic investments are needed at key symbolic nodes of downtown activity, and in areas where design can support other investments. For instance, many people judge the state of downtown based on the appearance of the Gore and surrounding public realm. Areas like these should be priorities for public sector design and implementation. The private sector has an important role in this as well, ensuring that areas of development and renovation contribute to the cohesive sense of place and deliver high-quality urban design.
   
6. It’s time for a downtown wayfinding strategy and to design great downtown walks. Stakeholders envision a downtown that is easier for visitors to navigate, and that is more inviting for all users. The downtown revitalization strategy should lead to the creation of a clear wayfinding strategy, and the identification and design of key downtown “walks” that will provide safe, inviting and accessible routes connecting key places of arrival, interest and work. Some potential great walks, such as those that would include Summers Lane, will require coordination and investment from multiple stakeholders, including the City, the Art Gallery of Hamilton, and the Commons group. A collaborative approach to design and implementation can help to align interests and ensure that investments provide multi-sector benefits.
   
7. Create a downtown communications hub. Downtown stakeholders want to know what’s happening with key initiatives and events, and would benefit from more regular and consistent information. The status and timing of LRT implementation is an example of an issue in which local businesses have a keen interest. The City and Metrolinx do each have online information pages and Metrolinx has an engagement office, but participants see a role for the City to provide a centralized, “one-stop” communications hub that can also promote events.
   
8. Vacant and derelict properties must be put to better use. There must be a concerted effort among landowners, the City, and Metrolinx to address vacant or derelict buildings. Without careful management, activation, or development, these sites have a net-negative impact on the revitalization of the area. Where renovation or redevelopment is not yet possible, interim improvements like temporary community activation or artist-enhanced hoarding should take place. The downtown revitalization strategy can provide direction on where interventions can be most beneficial.
   
9. We need to retain businesses and “re-people” the downtown core. Maintaining activity downtown is key to supporting ongoing vibrancy. It will be critical for the City to work with business owners and employers to retain as much business downtown as possible, and to attract new businesses that are likely to create successful clusters and support revitalization. There should be a strategic focus on public sector employees and the business sectors that are most likely to remain and have employees who can make use of local amenities, housing and downtown investments.
   
10. Cast a wide net for downtown revitalization. The scope of downtown revitalization should include and coordinate all key projects within the downtown, and consider a much wider city-building context area that goes beyond downtown’s defined boundary. For example, the LRT line and Hamilton Health Sciences facilities have physical and functional relationships to downtown revitalization that should “stretch” the boundaries of planning and implementation.
    
11. Measure and track the benefits of downtown investments. Stakeholders want both progress and accountability in downtown revitalization. There is a desire to understand how downtown is actually doing, and how much progress has been made or relinquished in recent years. There is an equally strong desire for public and private downtown revitalization efforts to have measurable indicators of success, so that the public and stakeholders can understand what benefits have been achieved, and for whom. This can help guide future efforts and investments.
    
12. Engage effectively with BIAs. BIAs are key partners in downtown revitalization, and they must be carefully organized and resourced for maximum impact. Stakeholders want to see direct connections between BIAs and revitalization efforts, and increased funding and support for BIA work. Stakeholders are also thinking strategically about how BIAs should be constituted and coordinated to best serve downtown revitalization efforts, but have different ideas for how that might take shape. Some feel that the downtown will be best served by one, larger BIA group for downtown, and others think that there may be value in additional BIAs. The City should engage the community and business owners on this matter and help to establish a consensus that aligns with downtown revitalization priorities.
    
13. No half measures! Downtown stakeholders feel that their priorities have been expressed many times, and now want to see decisive action and bold moves to improve conditions and spur investment.

These ideas aren’t unreasonable. They are practical, creative and actionable. More than anything, they reflect the desire of the stakeholders who attended the discussion to see downtown thrive. The hope is that these themes will be explored further in the 10-year downtown revitalization strategy and we look forward to a continued dialogue on making our city’s core stronger and more vibrant for years to come.

Paul Shaker is a Hamilton-based urban planner and principal with Civicplan. Thank you to Urban Strategies for organizing and summarizing the outcomes of the discussion.