Hamilton takes another step toward bidding to host the Commonwealth Games

Hamilton city councillors will take the next step in encouraging a bid to host the 100th anniversary Commonwealth Games.

City council's general issues committee voted 10-3 Wednesday to give an endorsement letter to Hamilton 100, a local group of volunteers and business people who want the city to host the games in 2030.

There are still several steps to go. Hamilton 100 will submit the second phase of its bid, along with the city's letter of endorsement, by March 9 to  Commonwealth Games Canada. That group will select its preferred Canadian city by March 31, and if that's Hamilton, negotiations would start with the provincial and federal governments.

Both would have to contribute some significant money to the $1.425 billion effort. So would Hamilton, which city staff estimate will need to pitch in $300 million through private and city money.

The city hosted the first games, at that time known as the British Empire Games, in 1930.

Hamilton councillors, buoyed by Hamilton 100's promise of making the city "a major sports tourism destination for the next generation," agreed to do their part to push it ahead.

"We cannot waste the enormous effort of Hamilton 100," said Tom Jackson, Ward 6 (east Mountain) councillor. Hamilton has already bid on the games twice since it first hosted them in 1930, he said, and "I don't want to be a loser a third time."

"There is nothing lost in endorsing this," agreed Terry Whitehead, Ward 14 (west Mountain) councillor.

City staff didn't seem so sure. A long list of city staff have already been working on the games file "off the sides of our desks," said finance head Mike Zegarac, and spent all weekend working at home after the Hamilton 100 bid proposal arrived on Friday.

A successful bid would take up significant city resources, Zegarac said. His joint report recommended councillors only receive the report. 

The Hamilton 100 team suggests using development charges to help pay for recreation facilities the city would need, Zegarac said. But the province is making changes around development charges, and there's no guarantee "soft" charges like recreation will be available.

"There is limited resource capacity to deliver on this scope of work," he said, "and other projects may have to be deferred for us to direct our limited resources to meet our obligations to this project."

PJ Mercanti, of Carmen's Group, told councillors this is an opportunity Hamilton can't miss, and the city's "most prominent institutions are at the table."

The athlete's village could become as many as 700 units of affordable housing, he said. The new venues will make Hamilton "a major sports tourism destination for the next generation," and Hamilton's children will be inspired.

"We owe it to them to leave them with a better city than we inherited, and not only with great new facilities," said Mercanti. He's also involved in the Hamilton Urban Precinct Arts and Entertainment Group, which wants to renovate and redevelop three downtown entertainment facilities.

John-Paul Danko, Ward 8 (west Mountain) councillor, was one of three councillors who opposed moving forward. City staff are hesitant, he said, and there's no point in stringing Hamilton 100 along if the city doesn't plan to go through with this.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger seemed ready to go all the way.

"If one isn't inspired by that, I'm not sure what would inspire one," he told the Hamilton 100 team. "As Gretzky says, you miss 100 per cent of the shots you don't take, and in my view, we have to take this one."

City council still has to ratify the move on Feb. 26.

How they voted

Who was in favour of the letter of endorsement

Jason Farr (Ward 2), Sam Merulla (4), Chad Collins (5), Tom Jackson (6), Esther Pauls (7), Maria Pearson (10), Arlene VanderBeek (13), Terry Whitehead (14), Judi Partridge (15), Mayor Fred Eisenberger.

Who was opposed

Maureen Wilson (1), Nrinder Nann (3), John-Paul Danko (8).

Not present

Brad Clark (9), Brenda Johnson (11), Lloyd Ferguson (12).