Salvaging Steel City
Former Mayor of Hamilton, Councillor and MP, Bob Bratina, has called Hamilton "broken," and the cracks are unmistakable. Ward 8 has been without representation for several months and there is much to be accomplished.
Wicken will start by listening to you. Advocating for you.
Below are a few examples of what Wicken can accomplish in the short-term, and a few get long-term solutions moving along.
Vote Wicken to utilize the next 13 months and salvage outstanding issues in Ward 8.
Short term solutions
With her extensive experience in City Hall, strong relationships and her relentless solution orientation, here are Issues Wicken can resolve in the 13-month term.
Roads
There are streets in our neighbourhoods that haven't been touched in 40 years. This affects the safety of drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
Bonnington neighbourhood was slated for road revitalization - it’s August, and it hasn’t happened. It was supposed to start in June.
Wicken, already possessing direct experience handling roadwork, knowing the people and departments involved, will ensure Ward 8's roads are not just repaired, but revitalized.
Watch for her social media posts to learn more.
Accessibility Part 1
Hamilton is not accessible for everyone.
Darts is not reliable transport, causing too many people with disabilities to be late for precious appointments in a maxed-out healthcare system; late to and from their jobs, late for taking care of their loved ones.
Regardless of medical appointment, job/job interview or something personal, everyone with a disability deserves reliable access to transportation.
Wicken knows the system and will work with the system to ensure Darts becomes a reliable transportation system.
As well, the monstrous LRT project has been a colossal waste of public funds, and has already been responsible for many local businesses closing their doors forever.
Enough is enough. Let's deal with our crumbling infrastructure before causing the close of more local businesses: let's focus on more accessible transportation for Hamilton Mountain and the city itself.
Accountability
Our Ward has been without representation for months, and Wicken has continued to relentlessly seek accountability of several Ward 8 matters brought by constituents who never heard back from their Ward 8 representatives.
Wicken will pursue accountability of Ward 8 resources, and will be steadfastly transparent with constituents.
Wicken will meet with each neighbourhood (at school/city building) on a quarterly basis to discuss neighbourhood concerns, and update everyone as to what's happening in city hall.
There will be regular, joint-neighbourhood public meetings across the ward.
There will be monthly opportunities for meet-and-greets.
And of course...
Every call will be returned, and every email read and responded to help you find a solution to every problem.
Urban sprawl
I am a Farmers Daughter. We cannot preserve farmlands by building intensified development. When they brought all of these marvelous businesses to the east mountain and paved or developed the farms where I grew up, the paving left the water no where to go but down the mountain and into the basements of many of the new development along the RHVP.
When they built the Link the construction left huge boulders in the underground impeding the free movement of water. The old Ward 8 which extended to the Meadowlands had three major neighbourhoods Gilbert, Fessenden and Mountview at the mercy of overland waters flooded basement and street being maneuvered by homeowners in canoes.
Historically, the Ward 8 offices used area rating dollars to develop build and maintain retention ponds along the water course to handle the flood waters from what was being called 100 year rain events. We had residents with negative driveways that lost vehicles in their garages and basements flooded to the first floor.
If these areas are to be developed extensive consideration must be given to the affect that this will have on the environment and the wildlife that call these properties home.
Let's make environment better
Homelessness, Part 1
Colleen Wicken will ensure other councillors are paying attention during council meetings, including the addition of an addition to Hamilton council's procedural bylaw: councillors must leave their cellphones outside of chambers.
It takes a great deal of courage for a delegate to stand up and speak as a delegate during council meetings, and it is appalling to see a councillor scrolling on their cellphones while the delegate is speaking to them (never mind falling asleep).
It's one of many tasks an Executive Assistant can do: keep watch of the councillor's cell phone and quietly inform them if there is something truly emergent.
Safety, Part 1
Pathways in Ward 8 are an imperative function for land-locked neighbourhoods, but the pathways are abysmal: overgrowth and bad lighting, creating an atmosphere perfect for illegal dumping and worse, drug dealing and violence.
Wicken will ensure they're cleaned up and properly maintained.
Upper James is still Highway 6 - at least in spirit. Speeding, using the centre turning lane as an extra lane makes this arterial vein dangerous for pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers.
Wicken will work with Hamilton Police Service to establish speed traps in key locations. It's a short-term fix to a longterm issue, but long term, it's time to look at changing speed maximums again.
Zero Cellphone policy for Council Meetings
Hamilton is at crisis level with people experiencing being unhoused.
The City is working a multi-prong plan to end and prevent homelessness.
While Wicken will advocate for longterm solutions (see below), she will work with other councillors to free up discretionary funds to contribute towards the city's temporary shelter program and expand it.
Long-term solutions
Some issues take time and consistent effort to be resolved . Wicken can ensure the process is efficient and effective.
Homelessness, Part 2
There are a myriad of reasons why someone experiences homelessness, and the number of people in Hamilton has reached crisis levels.
Wicken has volunteered with key organizations, and knows how the budget operates.
Working with councillors and key stakeholders supporting unhomed persons; with federal and provincial representatives, Wicken will ensure everyone unhomed can access housing and healing - setting the trend for neighbouring cities.
For those at the edge, who struggle with marginalization, Wicken will ensure supports are strengthened, and advocate for tax relief while effectively tackling the budget with council, provincial and federal representatives.
Accessibility Part 2
While the city has been implementing barrier-free guidelines for public spaces and recommends that building owners, architects, engineers and designers follow - it’s not mandatory.
As the City continues to infill and develop according to provincial mandates, Wicken will fiercely advocate to make barrier-free access mandatory for newly constructed and retrofitted facilities owned, leased or operated by the City of Hamilton; all other facilities, whether new or retrofitted.
Wicken will also work with fellow councillors, federal and provincial representatives to provide support for small business owners to retrofit their establishments.
Safety, Part 2
Safety in our city has long been violated by daily reports of violence and theft; of clogged courts and frustrating custody releases only for the alleged offender to reoffend.
Wicken will advocate for the return of CPTED - This program has fallen by the wayside and it is an excellent concept.
Crime
Prevention
Through
Environment
Design
We know this must change, and change will take time.
Wicken will work with council, key organizations and Hamilton Police Service to not only increase police presence, but to deal with root causes.
This will extend to advocacy in Ottawa and Queens Park.
Wicken listens.
Dear Ward 8,
I have a decades-long track record of listening to you, and acting for you in City Hall and within the community- regardless of time of day, and regardless of the problem. I've always solved problems, whether it's leading you to the right person and/or department, regardless of type of government, or whether I had to fix it myself.