Hushed Catastrophe

Headlining the Hamilton Spectator's November 30 issue,

page A5 displayed an April 23 (2018) aerial photo captioned:

A heron flies over sewage near the Princess Point boat launch.

And if the heron had died, it'd probably

make headlines, signifying its peril.

Yet, the City of Hamilton ~ including its mayor and City Council ~ were all hushed and 'closed-mouthed' about the disaster which had been known by them for several years.

On the Readers Write page, today, November 30, about 20 letters were posted concerning the 'lack of the city's governing power to address this existing dilemma.

Child-like, did the city just believe it'd go away?

It may interest you to read words from transcripts sent by concerned citizens.

Good Thing the Bunny was Safe: Reading the responses from Hamiltonians about Sewergate

captures the absolute disgust, helplessness and frustration about most Hamiltonians toward the mayor and members of the city council. Obviously, all of the participants responsible for monitoring the sewage system, have failed miserably. Not one tracking device to detect any abnormalities in the system worked for 4 1/2 years. How is this possible?

Now Hamiltonians will have to pay for the fiasco through increased taxes.

I'm a little perplexed as to why we will be footing the bill

for the incompetence of those involved in this stinking, colossal blunder.

Our Reputation Takes a Hit: I have lived in this city all my life, defending its reputation as a dirty-smoke-stacked industrial city. There were times when this was hard to defend with pollution visible from our steel industries. We have come a long way in cleaning up this city ~ reducing pollution ~ and shedding our steel-industry image with new innovative industries...world-class hospitals, arts, music, great post-secondary education opportunities with Mohawk College and McMaster University and an expanding airport. I love our green-space, our Mountain and all the great waterfalls, hiking trails and parks. The downtown is going through a tremendous renaissance with great restaurants, music and art events. We have great sports teams...with the Ticats, Bulldogs, Hamilton FC and the Honey Badgers. I love our nickname: “The Hammer” and I am proud to be a Hamiltonian!

This has all exploded into a mess with with the latest fiasco

with the sewage leak into Cootes Paradise and our lack of city leadership

in preventing this from happening.

I'm afraid our reputation has just reverted back a few decades

to the stinky city of Hamilton and I am sad, disappointed and really mad.

(comments by Gary from Hamilton)

I Could Have Given Better Advice: So now we know the city withheld information about the spill based on legal advice. Is it somehow compulsory that council must do what the lawyers say, with no room for applying their own judgment? And what about that advice designed to avoid penalties and liabilities? For a mere five bucks, I gladly would have advised the city to take 'the high road'

and take their lumps too! (submitted by Andrew, Hamilton)

Stop the 'Witch Hunt'! I agree with every person who wrote letters expressing what we are all collectively feeling about city council, the mayor and staff. There appears to be an over-management issue at city hall. Too many people behind desks with big egos making dumb decisions and not

listening ito their workers. They made their beds ~ now, let the chips fall where they will. And please stop the witch hunt for the leaker ~ and take your lumps! (stated by Lisa from Stoney Creek)

And Catherine from Hamilton addressing Steve Buist, Mathew Van Dongen,

Teviah Mono and Andrew Dreschel said to them: Thanks for the Journalism!

Taxpayers Can't Afford This: With Hamilton tax payers already facing a a 5.5 % increase next year, what is the first thing city councillors do? They nail us all with an additional $29 increase in sewer and water charges in the wake of the Sewergate fiasco/disaster! (Stated by Doug from Hamilton)

Here's to You, Council: I walked my dog regularly along the shore of Cootes Paradise. More than once, I had to wade through the 'high water' that crept over the trail. My dog, ill-advisedly drank from it. People canoed and kayaked through Cootes Paradise all through the spring, summer and fall. Anglers caught fish in the channel next to Cootes Paradise's crap barriar (whoops, I mean 'carp' barriar) and some took their catch home to eat. Not one member of council saw people around Cootes and thought, “They should know what's in that water!”

Not one member of council had the guts to say:

I'm not going along with this secrecy.

My constituents have the right to know a publicly accessible, recreational

body of water has 24 billions litres of watery sewage in it!

How Big is 24 Billion Litres? If you built a tank that ran from Queen Street along Main to James ...then up to Herkimer, back to Queen and again down Main and it was as high as the mountain ~ that is about 24 billion litres. “ Please check my math,” states Steve from Stoney Creek., “and that could be on the small side.”

Who's Really to Blame? The blame for the recent sewage spill fiasco does not lie with the mayor or city council. They are doing what they have been doing for years: mishandling projects...wasting tax dollars...and failing to keep the people informed!!! The blame lies with the voters who keep re-electing these incompetents! (assessed by Ron from Hamilton)

Great job and thanks for the coverage

on this important matter. (Catherine,Hamilton)

They Could Have Done the Right Thing: “I strongly disagree with your editorial stance that council should drop their search for 'the whistleblower.' They should absolutely do everything possible to find that person and present them with the highest possible civic award ~ for doing the right thing! ~ in contrast to the actions of the mayor and council who are hiding behind legal advice. They could have chosen to do the right thing,” stated Richard from Carlisle.

Good to See MPP Speaking Out! Henry fromHamilton, commented: “It's nice to see Nancy Shaw, one of our local MPP's show some fight for our city. It's not the first time she has been a strong voice. It's too bad our other local MPP, Donna Skelly has sat tight-lipped twice now in the last few weeks, listening to her Tory comrades belittle her ~ and our city.

Compiled by Merle Baird-Kerr...December 2, 2019

Your comments welcome: mbairdkerr@cogeco.ca

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