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December
1995 Newsletter
History
Repeats Itself
Region
Plans "Public Consultation" on Road
A
famous quotation from Hegel says that history repeats itself,
the first time as tragedy and the second as farce. It seems
we are about to get an example in Hamilton-Wentworth as
regional officials prepare to launch a "public consultation"
process on the Red Hill Expressway.
The
public consultation is part of the region's attempt to obtain
an exemption from an environmental assessment for the road.
It is likely going to begin sometime in January.
We
were treated to our first consultation on this project in
the summer of 1979. After two years of closed-door studies,
the region unveiled six alternative routes for the expressway
project. All six went through the Red Hill Valley! Other
possible routes were all rejected before the public was
asked for its "opinion". That episode may be regarded as
the "tragedy" in Hegel's quote.
The
"public consultation" about to be launched quite adequately
fulfills the "farce" part. The following are some of the
rules being imposed on the public's expression of opinion
this time. The need for the road cannot be discussed. The
cost of the road cannot be discussed. The location of the
road cannot be discussed. The type of road (an expressway)
is also already decided and not up for discussion. Instead,
the public is being asked to give their opinion on the design
of the expressway.
People
in Hamilton-Wentworth should not agree with this farce and
should demand that it be changed into a full public discussion
of all aspects of the expressway project.
In
preparation for their "dog and pony show", regional officials
have refused to provide copies of the map of the current
route of the north-south expressway through Red Hill Valley,
even though the map was erected in the Aldermen's Lounge
at Hamilton City Hall in early October. It shows about 25
creek crossings in a four kilometre stretch from just south
of King Street to just north of the CNR line.
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