Mayor Fred Eisenberger Speaks to Club

Posted by Robert Morrow 
 
His Worship, Mayor Fred Eisenberger, spoke to the Dundas Sunrise Rotary Club on Tuesday, emphasizing the need for changes in the direction that the New City of Hamilton is going. In his remarks, Mayor Eisenberger spoke about the need for change both "organically or by design. Hamilton is unique in its situation regarding new development and is poised for much new development in the next few years". The mayor noted that the tax base for the city was in a ration of 70:30 in the past, with the majority of the tax monies coming from commercial and industrial. Today, that figure has been reversed with almost 70% of the tax base coming from residential sources.
 

Transportation, the waterfront and downtown areas of the city, "including downtown areas of the various communities involved in the city," need to be revitalized, but new industry is the key to changing the direction in which the city is now proceeding. "Functional changes are required, not just surficial changes" are required for the redevelopment of the city as a unit, noted Eisenberger. In his remarks, the mayor noted the importance of the cultural development of downtown Hamilton with the possibilities of redeveloping the education centre, family and public health facilities and the possibilities of new hotels in the area. The harbour remediation has begun and could be a catalyst to new developments on the waterfront. $500 million has been earmarked for new developments in upgrading the sewage treatment processes, and there is great interest in making the harbour an area which can be multi-use recreation and residential, as well as industrial.

The mayor was welcomed to the Dundas Valley Sunrise Rotary Club by Councillor Russ Powers who reviewed the mayor's pedigree in light-hearted fashion and thanked for his presentation by Rotarian Ken Beel. He was provided with key information about the new Dundas Skating Rink and thanked for the city's cooperation in getting this project coordinated with city staff.