Pan Am Games are a pain, but being ignored is worse: residents

Jean Norton, 66, has as much reason as anyone to dread the 2015 Pan Am Games. But she doesn’t.

Norton uses a walker to get around. She lives across the street from the new Tim Horton’s Field stadium and dust from its construction – completion now nine months overdue – has given her hives.

Trucks back up in her driveway on Melrose Avenue North. Drills rattle. And now, from July 5 to 27, Norton will have to show a pass just to get down her street, which is in the “hard closure” area around the stadium.

But it’s still better than the alternative – a Ward 3 with no investment or attention, where no one cares about her neighbourhood.

“I don’t mind stuff going on over there,” she said.

This neighbourhood’s been neglected for a long, long time.- Patti Encinas, chair of the Sherman Hub

Norton was among the 200 residents who gathered at Prince of Wales school on Wednesday for a community meeting, where city, police, school board and transit officials took audience questions about the 2015 Pan Am Games. Thousands are expected in Hamilton for the July 10 to 26 event, when the stadium will host the soccer games.

Most residents were concerned about parking – namely, where they will park if they live just outside the “soft closure” area and aren’t entitled to parking permits. They know from Hamilton Tiger-Cats games that the streets will be crowded much farther than the area the city has identified.

Coralee Secore, director of Pan Am initiatives, said the city will look at expanding the parking permit area.

But even those with parking concerns are pleased with the attention to Ward 3, where vacant storefronts blanket parts of Barton Street, and residents speak of past neglect. Norton's neighbourhood, she said, recently got its first new sidewalk in years.

I’ve watched it go from good to bad, and now it’s back to great.- Janice Chong

The Pan Am precinct is currently seeing a whopping $202 million in government investment. That includes a new $32-million high school, an $8-million outdoor sports complex at the former Dominion Glass brownfield site, the $17-million Bernie Morelli Seniors Centre and the $145-million stadium, the latter in large part because of the Pan Am Games.

'I don't think the parking issue is solved'

So while residents are frustrated and inconvenienced, “they see the long-term benefits,” said Patti Encinas, chair of the Sherman Hub.

“This neighbourhood’s been neglected for a long, long time. To see the influx of stuff coming in and attention being paid, we’re just happy to see it.”

Janice Chong worries about parking. She lives just outside the soft closure area and doesn’t have a driveway. The current Pan Am transportation plan assumes a large number of people will take public transportation, or shuttle buses. She doubts that.

“On Tiger-Cat game day, you can’t leave your house,” she said. “If you leave, you can’t come back home until after the game is over. For one day every two weeks, that’s fine. But for 10 days, 11 days in a row, it’s going to be a problem.”

“I don’t think the parking issue is solved.”

Neighbourhood has gone from 'good to bad to great'

Still, the 26-year resident said she’d rather have the games than not.

“I'm excited about the games. I have tickets," she said. "I’m very, very ecstatic about how much has changed in this neighbourhood. I’ve watched it go from good to bad, and now it’s back to great.”

As for Norton, she'll have to show identification every time she comes and goes. But that doesn't bother her, she said.

She’ll plan trips to the grocery store during hours with less traffic. She’ll schedule her doctors’ appointments for outside the three-week period. She’s lived in her home since 1975, and she’ll put up with the growing pains.

“I’m waiting for the seniors centre,” she said. “I want to go do therapy in the water.”

Hard closure area:

The area of Melrose Avenue North to Balsam Avenue North, and Beechwood to Cannon. In other words, the streets immediately surrounding the stadium. Residents of these areas will require a pass to access their streets. They will get mail, but no parcel delivery. There will be no on-street parking and access passes will be issued to hopes with driveways only. Residents with no driveways will have to park at the former Parkview and King George site, and will require a city-issued parking pass. This will be in effect from July 5 to 27.

Soft closure area:

Residents will need a parking pass to park on the street. There will be one parking pass per residence. This impacts Balsam Avenue from King to Cannon Streets, Balsam Avenue from Beechwood to Barton, Melrose Avenue from King to Cannon and Beechwood to Barton, Prospect Avenue North from Beechwood to Barton, Leinster Avenue North from Beechwood to Barton, Connaught Avenue North from Old School to Barton, Lottridge from King to Barton and Beechwood from Gage to Balsam and Melrose to Lottridge. This is in effect from July 10 to 27.