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FEBRUARY 2017 COMPLIMENTARY MAGAZINE
THE GUTTING OF THE GORE
REWARDED NEGLECT CLAIMS MORE OF HAMILTON'S HERITAGE
I'M WITH HER...AND HER... HAMILTON WOMEN MARCH ON WASHINGTON
WHY I'M HAVING A DOUBLE MASTECTOMY THE LENS OF LUTZ BARTSCH CENTRESPREAD FEATURE
FROST BITES
CHANGING HAMILTON'S THEATRE LANDSCAPE
SO WEIRD, SO CHARMING THE OTHER STUFF THAT MAKES HAMILTON GREAT
IDEAS // ISSUES // EXPERIENCES // ARTS // CULTURE // BUSINESS // STYLE // CITY LIFE
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P U B L I S H E R + E D I TO R MARTINUS GELEYNSE martinus@urbanicity.ca L AYO UT & D ES I G N Tafari Anthony EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Taylor Evans DISTRIBUTION urbanicity Omnimedia Inc. Distribution is counted and optimized monthly. urbanicity magazine is wholly owned and published by urbanicity Omnimedia Inc. All content copyright © 2017 and all rights to distribution are reserved by urbanicity Omnimedia.
FROM THE EDITOR + PUBLISHER The media coverage of U.S. President Donald Trump has been overwhelming as of late. Whether it's about the size of cabinet members' hands, the Donald's latest executive orders, the tragically laughable incompetence of Sean Spicer, or yet another breach of presidential protocol, Trump is everywhere. At the risk of simply adding to the fray, I'm hesitant to write this editorial. At the risk of failing to speak against such gross injustice, I am compelled to write it anyway.
As a forum for ideas, issues, and experiences, the views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Publisher, Editor, other contributors, advertisers or distributors unless otherwise stated.
When Donald Trump signed the executive order enacting the ban on citizens of seven countries from entering the United States, my social media feeds lit up with protest and incredulity. One tweet that struck me as especially profound was by Madeline Wilson. It simply read "Never again is now." That's a scary thought, but it does beg the question as to whether or not general American society is ready to face the gravity of what is happening in their country. By extension, it should be a wake-up call to us as Canadians, Ontarians, and even as Hamiltonians and Burlingtonians, that the order and function of this stuff [politics, public process, justice] is not to be taken for granted lest it be eroded.
DISTRIBUTION 40,000+ readers per month. Distributed throughout Hamilton, Dundas, Ancaster, Stoney Creek, Waterdown, Aldershot, and Burlington. 12 issues per year.
I remember hearing the stories of World War II from my grandparents when I was a child. They had all lived through the war in Holland, and were active in various capacities against the Nazi occupation. They told us their war stories for the same reason we all gather at the cenotaph every November 11; to affirm our collective committment to never again let such a conflict take place. Without ever actually experiencing armed conflict, however, it is easy to become complacent. Our lives in North America are comfortable, and the concept of a world war seems like a radically implausible leap from our familiar reality of Tim Hortons, Angry Birds, the CFL, Art Crawl, and our jobs. When we watch the wreaths being placed on Remembrance Day, we often fail to realize that instability, conflict, and despotism don't occur instantaneously. Standing on guard for thee doesn't mean that we should mobilize only when invading tanks begin to roll through our streets, but rather it means we must recognize and reject injustice and tyranny even in their most elementary forms. Threats to civil liberties and freedoms must not be allowed to put down any roots, as they grow like weeds; rapidly and uncontrollably. We've been told to stand guard to ensure "never again". However, as Madeline Wilson said, "Never again is now." Now is not the time for indifference or complacency.
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The severity of what is happening in the United States cannot be underestimated. The President is unapologetically fabricating "facts", burning diplomatic ties around the world, and signing executive orders to advance an agenda of extreme protectionism and isolationism. What makes this especially frightening is that millions of people support these actions. The United States is angry, it feels beaten up and bruised, and it is turning inward. If you read accounts of Germany prior to the start of WWII, the parallels are uncanny. In fact, Adolf Hitler himself was initially regarded as a silly fringe candidate until he became a pervasive force in German politics, eventually becoming the Führer. He capitalized on the frustrations, embarrassment and repression of the German people following the Treaty of Versailles. He promised to make Germany great again. Now, you may read that last paragraph and think I might just need to pump the brakes a bit and relax. Comparing Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler? C'mon Geleynse, that's a little much. After all, this is the United States we're talking about. Yes, it is. To be clear, I'm not saying that WWIII is about to break out, but I am saying that grave wrongs are being committed in the name of patriotism, and if such injustice is tolerated for any reason at all, history is right on schedule to repeat itself in one form or another. Simply put, how much injustice are we prepared to accept? At what point will we take action, or realize that things have gone too far? Do we literally need to feel the financial effects of a harmful trade deal? Is it at the point when the civil rights of ethnic minorities are being limited by the state? Perhaps it's when violence reaches our neighbourhood? As Canadians we cannot participate directly in the American political process. However, we can and should support our neighbours in any way possible, including via social media, actions of solidarity, and peaceful protest (see page 6 for an article about four Hamiltonians that participated in the Women's March in Washington D.C.). In our daily lives, we must call out and fight against injustice and despair in our own context. With the rise of the "alt-right", hate speech, bigotry, and divisiveness have also risen in Canadian towns and cities, empowered by the American example. This must not be tolerated, but rather combatted with discussion, inclusion, and hope. It is up to every one of us to daily defend and participate in advancing the principles of our 150-year old Confederation: peace, order, and good government. Abert Einstein once wrote "The world is in greater peril from those who tolerate or encourage evil than from those who actually commit it." Now is not the time to wait for someone else to take care of it. Now is not the time to ignore the trampling of rights and freedoms. Never again is now. MA RTI NUS GE LE YNSE
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ISSUES
The Gutting of The Gore Rewarded neglect claims more of Hamilton's heritage
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n January 25th, after a long four year process and much debate, Hamilton City Council voted to approve the demolition of four heritage buildings on the south side of Gore Park. After years of demolition by neglect, the properties will be torn down and mostly replaced. The remaining pre-Confederation facades of 18-22 King Street East will be restored with the help of City grants. This is simply reward for neglect, a routine that has become all too common in Hamilton. Again and again it results in boarded-up, deteriorating heritage buildings which become eyesores and embarrassments to all of us. Unfortunately, when properties are neglected and fall into such disrepair, it’s often impossible for many people to see the heritage value or future potential these buildings hold.
18 - 30 King Street East. Image from the 1996 Gore Park Improvement Study
Theirs was one of the most successful businesses in Hamilton, supplying Hamiltonians and new immigrants with all that they needed to set up and maintain their homes and farmsteads. Now among the few remaining buildings in Gore Park that date to before Confederation, they are rare and significant to the earliest history of our city. The buildings at 18 - 22 were designed by renowned architect, William Thomas, who had designed St. Lawrence Hall and St. Michael’s Cathedral in Toronto and the Brock Monument in Queenston. They are of a Georgian style with classical proportions, order and symmetry, while 22 King Street East display the Renaissance Revival style with a high degree of craftsmanship. The dressed limestone blocks of the walls are from a nearby quarry.
HISTORY In many ways, our buildings provide the strongest tangible evidence of Hamilton’s history. When you remove the buildings, you remove the history. Built in the early 1840's, 18 – 22 King Street East, were among to earliest establishments in the Town of Hamilton, which had been laid out by George Hamilton in 1816. The buildings are located on what was the northern border of this town, in a prime location adjacent to the dirt track of James Street North, which led to the harbour. The buildings at 18 – 20 King Street East were operated by the Kerr brothers as a wholesale dry goods store.
The two 1870’s buildings at 24 and 28 King Street East were built when the City began to beautify the Gore area which was then named Gore Park. It soon became very successful as a thriving commercial and social gathering place in the centre of the new city. These buildings are in the high Victorian commercial style and display many preserved decorative details from this period. Together, these four buildings housed the first businesses that sprang up around the Gore and were the foundation of what became a major North American manufacturing centre in the 19th and early 20th centuries. They define the character of Gore Park, providing it
LEFT: The south side of Gore Park in 1892 (source unknown) RIGHT: The developer's rendering of the planned redevelopment of the south side of Gore Park (18-30 King Street East)
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with an historic enclosure on the south side, and are an integral element in the 19th century commercial streetscape that progressed along King Street East from James to Wellington Street.
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• In April 2016 Council is satisfied with a revision of the first design and submits it to their Planning Staff for a report regarding how to move forward. Planning Staff recommends demolition of 24 and 28 King Street East and partial demolition of 18 – 22 King Street East.
THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD It has been a long and arduous journey from 2012 when demolition permits for these properties were requested by their owner/developer until the final pronouncement by Council on January 25, 2017. Now, unless the process is stopped at a higher level, the site will be redeveloped to suit the developer, and a clean-line, boxy structure will replace our Gore history. As a part of the “compromise” the stone facade of the earliest buildings at 18 – 22 King Street East will be retained and incorporated into the ‘modern’ development.(This is a compromise that too often has good intentions, but poses a high risk for damaging or completely losing the historic facades in the process). During this long four year process, during which the owner vacated the buldings and left them exposed to the elements, the properties have deteriorated behind their hoarding, resulting in a sad and disgraceful site on Gore Park. For our readers who may not be familiar with these developments and those who have tried to piece together the complete saga of this proposed development here are the highlights of this process: • December 2012: Wilson Blanchard makes application for demolition permits for 18 – 22 as well as 24 and 28 King Street East. The permits are granted but public outcry pressures City Hall to review the decision. • Demolition is halted, and by the end of 2013 Council approves designation of the buildings as historically and architecturally significant. The developer challenges the designation, vacates the occupants of his properties and boards the buildings up. • Throughout 2014 - 2015, negotiations with Council produce a revised site plan with the facade of 18 – 22 King Street East (the pre-Confederation buildings) incorporated into the new modern structure. The Victorians at 24 & 28 King Street East are not included.
• The reports are submitted to the Municipal Heritage Committee (which advises Council on matters of heritage importance) at their meeting on December 16, 2016, where a vote is taken on whether to grant the owner demolition permits. The committee opposes demolition for any of the buildings, however Council is still in favour of the developer’s plan. • The January 17, 2017 meeting of the Planning Committee includes delegations from heritage organizations, neighbourhood associations, and architects presenting very thorough cases for saving the Gore Heritage buildings. The vote is 6 – 3 in favour of demolition, full and partial. Final approval is granted by Council and at their January 25 meeting. The developer’s demolition requests are approved, conditional upon the developer having a site plan approved by the Director of City Planning and beginning the construction within five years. CAN THE GORE BE SAVED? At this point, the best option is through appeals to the Provincial Government through the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport to intervene and mediate as was the salvation of the Lister Block.
BY CAROL PRIAMO Carol Priamo is the Beasley Neighbourhood Association Heritage Representative and an active member of Friends of the Gore. In her many years as a professional heritage conservationist she has work in planning, project management, promotion and education. She is an author of publications on Canadian heritage architecture and an award winning architectural photographer.
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ISSUES
I'm With Her...And Her...And Her... One woman's account of marching on the U.S. Capitol
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ike many women in the US, Canada, and around the world, I was looking forward to the election of the first female US President. While many nations have had women leaders, having a woman as the leader of a superpower felt like a particularly symbolic breakthrough, as well as an essential bulwark against the erosion of hard-fought rights. I was looking forward to celebrating the repudiation of Trump’s sexism with my American sisters, and was already planning a trip to Western New York to pay my respects to Susan B. Anthony, and the number of other suffragists and abolitionists buried in the area. I watched with dismay as election night unfolded. It was extremely disheartening to realize the misogyny and racism that characterized Trump’s campaign had won the day, if not the popular vote. As a Canadian, Trump’s threats against NAFTA, NATO, the UN, and his close ties to Russia made me feel unmoored and fearful for the post-WWII consensus that has kept the world relatively stable for the last 70 years, but mostly I grieved for the women, people of colour, and LGBTQ community whose fundamental rights were now at risk. When the Women’s March on Washington was announced in the days immediately following the election, and a friend suggested we go, I knew that this
was something I had to do; to bear witness, be present, and stand in solidarity with my American women friends, and all Americans who are under threat from Trump’s agenda. I drove down with four other women the day before the march. Our first inkling that the march was going to be bigger than expected was hearing reports of rest stops in Pennsylvania full of women, and all the flights coming in to Washington full of women. We stayed in Rockville Maryland and were invited to a party in the home of a friend of one of my travelling companions. It was a wonderful evening of laughter and camaraderie, especially for those who had come from red states and counties. They were grateful to us for coming and letting them know they aren’t alone. The next hint of the enormity of what was unfolding was the line up to get into the Metro station the next morning. We barely managed to squeeze on the train even though we were one of the first stops on the line. The mood on the train set the tone for the day, with everyone chatting with strangers and breaking out in song as we sang a call and response Women’s March song lead by an older woman. We moved with the crowd from Union Station toward the Mall. We filed onto the Capitol grounds through a narrow opening
in the fencing, manned by a single police officer, and single security guard. It would be one of the few times we saw any police presence throughout the day. As we headed across the Mall toward the rallying point at Independence and 3rd, it quickly became obvious we were not going to get anywhere near the speakers because of the size of the crowd. The Mall was full at this point, as were the streets on either side. The crowd was far too large for the planned march. Even though no one could hear the speakers, and no one knew what was going on, there was no sense of chaos. By unspoken consensus, the crowds gradually started moving up the Mall toward the Elllipse in front of the Whitehouse. The spirit was overwhelmingly positive and uplifting. We took great joy in the signs that were by turns funny, creative, moving, and pointed. Anti-racism, anti-Islamophobia, access to healthcare, especially reproductive healthcare, LGBTQ rights, and climate change were the primary themes. It’s hard to pick out a favourite from the many gems, but I’ll never forget the group of teenage boys with signs reading “My mom could kick Trump’s ass!”, “My mom is my hero!”, and “Have you called your mom?” Men and boys of all ages made up about a third of the crowd. The enormity of the day really hit at the intersections of the streets running perpendicular to the mall. As we turned to look, we saw even side streets were jammed solid as far as the eye could see. One thing that will stick with me for a long time is the sound of the cheering. You could here it beginning in the distance and rolling over the crowds like a locomotive; the sound of hundreds of thousands of voices raised as one, reverberating off the walls of the venerable buildings lining the Mall. It sent chills down my spine. When we finally made it back to our Airbnb that night and turned on the news, we learned that crowd experts were calling it the largest protest in US history, and yet there had been no arrests. None. I’m still trying to process what it meant to me to be part of something so unprecedented. I’m already quite active in my community, and have stepped up to campaign for politicians who share my values and beliefs. I keep going back to my original impulse for joining the march in the first place; I wanted to be
Women's March Event at Hamilton City Hall, January 21, 2017
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The author and her companions pose with Canadian journalist Ian Brown while marching in Washington D.C. Photo courtesy of MAUREEN WILSON
present, to show the people who have real reason to fear Trump’s agenda that they are not alone. The camaraderie of the party we attended the night before the march, and the uplifting, unified spirit of the march itself make me see the value of reaching out, and strengthening each other by building social ties. While I’m an active and engaged citizen, I don’t always give of myself in a way that strengthens other people and builds and sustains relationships. I don’t know where the momentum of the march will take us, but I have resolved as an individual, to try to be more open, more welcoming and hospitable to those around me. As a straight, white, cis-gendered, Canadian woman, I don’t face the same existential threat from the populist, white nationalist wave rising in many Western nations, but I can use my voice and presence can push back against it, and be a source of strength for the more vulnerable members of our societies. As a woman of faith, I believe small acts repeated and magnified, can make change. If no more comes of my journey to Washington, that will be enough.
BY MARY LOUISE PIGOTT Mary Louise Pigott is a co-founder of the Useful knowledge Society, community volunteer, and part owner of a small business that will be impacted by trade barriers to the US. She has proudly called Hamilton home for 20 years.
@MLHPigott
Photo by REBECCA VRANKULJ
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EXPERIENCES
Why I'm Having a Double Mastectomy (My kiddo needs his mum)
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’ve never talked so much about breasts as I have over the past month or so, not even when I was a nursing mom. You see, I’ve recently made rather a major decision regarding my breasts. My mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when I was 16 and died when I was 19, she was 52. My grandmother has also died of ovarian cancer at a rather young age.
seemed to run through both families. By the time the nurse found a vein in my notoriously tricky arm I was already convinced that I would be a carrier of the genetic mutation. I was not wrong. It was about a month before the results came in and confirmed that I was indeed a carrier of the BRCA mutation. I remember sitting in a counsellor’s office and hearing statistics being rattled off. Significantly elevated risks of developing breast and ovarian cancers throughout my life, as well as slightly increased risk of melanoma. All I could think about were the hours I had spent getting too much sun at my best friend’s cottage the previous summer. It would turn out that melanoma was the least of my worries.
My mum’s oncologist was a formidable, forthright and strong woman named Dr. Joan Murphy. Over the course of our mom’s treatment she had grown quite close with our family, something she usually avoided. Mum was an enigmatic woman and it was pretty hard for anyone to not fall in love with her. She was as brave, strong and loving as you can imagine. Dr. Murphy spoke at her funeral about how she had promised to watch out for us girls.
I was 19 and was hurt and angry because my mom had died and because I had a terrible relationship with my dad. He had been so focused on saving mum that he had kind of forgotten that he was a parent. It was all just a horrible mess and so I thought, ‘Well, f*** it. Obviously I’m doomed to die young so who gives a shit?”
Shortly after the funeral Dr. Murphy contacted our family and explained that she was involved in researching a genetic mutation she believed our mum had that was linked to her cancer. I agreed to have the testing done. I spent a day at Princess Margaret hospital, being shuffled from room to room, speaking with genetic counsellors, doctors and nurses before they did the blood work. They took extensive medical histories, tracking the cancers that
With this mindset, I made some terrible financial decisions, I partied way too hard, and I got myself into some really messy and awful situations. Photo by TAFARI ANTHONY
PING PONG TOURNAMENT IN SUPPORT OF BIKE FOR MIKE
T H U R S DAY MARCH 9 6:00PM
FOR PADDLES
SERVE PING PONG BAR & LOUNGE
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Realizing recently that knowing about my risks is a blessing and not a death sentence has empowered me to make the difficult decision to go ahead with preventative surgeries.
I told the doctor he was insane and that I was young and had no intention of mutilating my body because of something that MIGHT happen.
Seeing my dear, fierce friend Lisa conquering breast cancer this year definitely played a roll in making this decision.
A preventative mastectomy was first presented to me as an option when I was 25 years old and still very much a bitter angry young woman. I told the doctor he was insane and that I was young and had no intention of mutilating my body because of something that MIGHT happen. My mum had died of ovarian cancer as did her mum and I was convinced that if anything was going to get me it would be my ovaries. Many years later and things have clearly changed. I have a child who means the world to me. I have a career that is exciting and I get to work with some of the most creative and engaged people in this city. Moving to Hamilton five years ago was the catalyst for real change in my life. Leaving the negativity behind in Toronto and embracing the excitement and positivity I have found here has been life changing.
A double mastectomy may sound drastic but if it essentially eliminates my risk then it is so worth it. My kiddo is six years old and he needs me to be here for a good long time yet. I spent my 20s seeing this mutation as a curse (which, let's be honest, it kind of is) and I was convinced that nothing really mattered because I would be dead by 50 anyway. That kind of nihilist thinking is no longer an option. I don't want my kiddo to suffer the pain that my sister and I did. Watching both of our parents die of cancer before either of us were 30 is a pain I wouldn‘t wish on my worst enemy let alone my beloved boy . I am so incredibly blessed with marvellous friends and a community that has been humblingly supportive. I am confident that this is the best decision for me to make and I'm sharing it with you to help start some real conversations about women’s health. We need to do more than slap a pink ribbon on a coffee cup at the dollar store. My surgery is scheduled for a few weeks from now, and while I'm a little terrified, I feel strong and incredibly optimistic.
The author and her kiddo
Photo courtesy of SUE LITTLETON
BY SUE LITTLETON Half maritimer, half Torontonian. After bouncing around the country for a decade, Sue Littleton found herself ready to settle down and has been a very happy Hamiltonian for the past five years. When she's not busy shucking oysters or shaking cocktails for the Other Bird you'll find her goofing around with Sid the kid.
@sutopiasue
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Describe your photography style. How did you develop it? I specialize in low angle perspective - long exposure – wide angle landscape photography. I've never tried to label it before now! As a child, I tended to explore a lot. I was always fascinated by what I would see over the next hill or around the next bend. I started with a Kodak Instamatic. Taking pictures allows me to remember the beauty I've seen on my adventures. I've retained my inner child, I still explore! I grew up and life became more complicated and difficult. Being creative helped me through some rough times. My photography became my therapy. I developed my style through trial and error, experimenting with less expensive specialized equipment. I used progressively wider-angled lenses and smaller tripods and longer exposures. Put all these elements together with instinctual composition and beautiful scenery and you get my style.
What makes a great photograph? A great photograph will capture your gaze and hold it. It will invite your eyes to wander around it, perhaps discovering different details with each viewing. I aspire to take photographs more like that!
Your images often depict energetic cityscapes and serene rural scenes. Two extremes, almost. What draws you to photograph these subjects? Cities provide their own lighting at night! They're perfect for long exposures; add walking people, that are rendered as shadows or blurs and/or, add a moving car or two, that are rendered as streaks of white and red and you've captured movement. This movement adds to the beauty and adds the fourth dimension of time to the photograph. In nature, this fourth dimension can be made visible by the silky trails of a waterfall, or the smooth sheen of a lake surface that would appear wavy if the exposure was short. These contrasting sceneries are conveniently accessible to me by a short walk or drive from where I live.
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You've photographed many cities, but Hamilton is home. What do you like about photographing Hamilton specifically, as opposed to other cities? I live near downtown Hamilton. Hamilton has beautiful old buildings, red brick heritage homes, cobblestone streets and vintage light posts that lend pictures that extra "accent". I go for a walkabout with my camera at least once a week. Hamilton is also home to many waterfalls and conservation areas, which I frequent often as well. Every city has its charm; it's what I search for with every visit.
Is your art available for purchase anywhere? Do you have a 'day job'? My art is not yet available for purchase. Up to this point I've been improving my craft. Friends and family own framed pieces of mine though and people, in general, have expressed more and more interest. I'm in the process of framing my better pictures (18" x 12"). When I compile enough of them I'll show them. I do have a "day job" at this time, but it's my dream to eventually pay the bills with my photography! The only public access to my art at this time is through Instagram: my handle is lutz.bartsch feel free to follow, watch and comment!
LUTZ
bartsch
I first saw his photographs on Instagram: striking cityscapes, serene nature stills. The immersive wide angles and vivid colours in the images made me feel as though I was actually there: standing at that street corner, or surveying the calm lake depicted. A bit of research showed me that Lutz Bartsch might just be the best photographer that you've never heard of. He flies under the radar, capturing scenes late at night, early in the morning, in snow, fog, and rain. Enjoy the lens of Lutz. Interview by Martinus Geleynse
PERSONAL BIO: Born in Montreal in '61. Raised in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Jamaica, and Bermuda. My father was a Hotel Manager. Residing in Hamilton since 2010. I love to drive around southern Ontario to snap pics of towns and parks. Blessed with an awesome sister Kim-mata and her great kids Dayna and Grant. Taking pictures makes me happy.
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BUSINESS
Shifted: Hamilton's Hospitality Startup
Take five partners with different professional backgrounds, simmer together in one of Canada's hottest hospitality cities, and serve generously through mobile technology. This is the recipe for Shifted, a new online platform for finding work/ finding help in the field of food. We sat down with two of the partners in this Hamilton startup to ask about their plans for launching locally and global domination.
Visit GetShifted.ca
Q: Where did the idea for this app come from?
Erin: Shifted connects people in the hospitality industry with opportunities to work open shifts at local establishments. We do this in real time, on demand and as a part of the sharing economy. Bartending, serving, back of house, you name it. Give A Shift. Take A Shift. Anytime. Anywhere.
Jordan: The idea came out of a four hour lunch at The Edgewater Manor when it was suggested out of frustration by a restaurant owner that there should be an app to help with the turnover rate in the industry. After a few months and honing the idea, we came up with Shifted. Shifted addresses one of the most challenging obstacles facing the hospitality industry, turnover. With an annual average turnover rate of 72% across North America, finding quality people can be a daunting task and we’re striving to make it easier.
Q: Who's behind this project? What brought you together?
Q: What has the response been from those who have tried using it so far?
Jordan: We have an incredibly talented partnership. All five of us have very different backgrounds and were brought together through business and friendship. Our driver is fearless, our compass is true and our engine is like that three headed dog from hell. I’m the compass…Erin is the driver…and our partners, well…you get it. We also had the privilege of working with two local companies in the creation of the app and the brand. Overall, this has been a cool Hamilton story and I hope it takes off so we can make this city proud.
Erin: Everyone loves the concept, and it hasn’t been without its glitches but we are fortunate to have received lots of great feedback from our users and made relevant adjustments. This has allowed us to stay true to our promise of providing great service to our users, though I am sure that suggestions will continue to come in and we will always be improving.
Q: Tell us what Shifted is. What's your elevator pitch?
BY: MARTINUS GELENYSE Martinus is the editor and publisher of urbanicity Magazine and the creative director of urbanicity Omnimedia. He's a passionate urbanist with a love of architecture, design, and cities. Martinus lives in a downtown Hamilton condo with his wife and daughter.
Q: What are the next steps for Shifted? When will we see it worldwide? Jordan: Have you ever played a game of Risk? It’s kind of like that. We’re raising money now so we can develop the features and functionality required for global domination. I’ve got 2018 pegged for this but my partners are more conservative. You can expect to see a lot more from us in the coming months. Erin: Jordan is really good at awesome dreams. He motivates us. I am hoping that we can do a good job in Ontario this year and see about global domination after that.
Q: Do you believe more industries are ready to be disrupted by this type of crowd-sourcing or 'uberization' model? Erin: It’s already happened. We’re glad to be bringing it to the hospitality industry. We believe that we’re a part of the sharing economy in that we’re enabling people to be their own boss and work when they want to work. Essentially sharing skilled labour across the industry. Say you work in an office, your bills are coming in as fast as you can pay them and your kid’s birthday is coming up. Open Shifted and go hustle on a few tables to earn some extra cash. Want to travel and pick up shifts along the way? We can help.
Q: What are the challenges you and your team have faced in developing this app? Erin: Developing something like this isn’t easy. There are so many options for development and funding. Figuring out what advice to listen to also a very real challenge because everyone is an expert in technology and no one agrees on a best practice. The app world is very different from the restaurant industry. There are fewer tangibles and far more opportunities for growth. It has been a mega adjustment for me to wrap my mind around the need to move fast, but not too fast, listen to ideas but don’t commit to any of them and to understand that we aren’t a technology company but rather a community that leverages technology within the sharing economy.
Q: What is next for your team? Plans for future apps? Jordan: Being a good corporate citizen is important to all of us and we’re trying to figure out how to layer that into our core business model. Future apps? We have some ideas for sure but the focus is on Shifted at this point.
@ martinus_g
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ARTS
[title of show] Hammer Entertainment's latest production hits the stage
"WHEN YOU’RE WORKING WITH FRIENDS, OF COURSE YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE CREATIVE DISAGREEMENTS"
Rehearsing for [title of show]
Hamilton’s most innovative community theatre company, Hammer Entertainment, is the brainchild of a familiar face: Hamilton’s own Jason Dick. Born and raised on the Hamilton Mountain, Dick first got involved in theatre as a teenager in high school productions at Westmount Secondary School. He admits, “In high school, I knew nothing at all about theatre. For auditions, I would sing songs from Les Mis and Joseph, because they were the only shows I knew.” He’s come a long way since then. Dick soon branched out from high school productions to performing with local theatre companies, such as the Tivoli Theatre, Theatre Ancaster, and HTI. Like a musically-inclined sponge, he eagerly soaked up all the lessons he could from these companies, but he found himself wanting more, something new, that had never been done in Hamilton. So in 2007, with the help of a few of his performer friends, he created his own theatre company: Hammer Entertainment. Hammer’s mission statement is to bring new and innovative musical theatre pieces to Hamilton, providing opportunities to talented local actors, singers, musicians, and crew members. Hammer has definitely succeeded in fulfilling its mission statement over the past 9 years. Dick and his team have brought numerous shows to Hamilton that had never before been seen in the area. Hammer introduced the hit RENT to the area in 2010, while later shows included premieres of the innovative shows Next to Normal and Grey Gardens. Dick has toured productions to Niagara Falls, and to the Sanderson Centre in Brantford. Hammer Entertainment celebrates its landmark 10th season next year. States Dick, “I like pushing the envelope. Theatre should be exciting, and make people think. It’s like a life force, always changing, reflecting society, and becoming something new. And I am so pleased to be a small part of creating that in Hamilton.”
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Photo courtesy of HAMMER ENTERTAINMENT
Next on the docket for the intrepid artistic director is February’s [title of show], a Tony Award nominated musical about “two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical”. An irreverent, tongue-incheek backstage romp, the show hilariously breaks down the fourth wall as it follows Hunter and Jeff and their friends on their journey through the gauntlet of creative self-expression. In the span of 90 minutes, they write and perform their show at the festival, off-Broadway, and finally Broadway, and learn lessons about themselves as people, friends and artists. Full of music theatre references that will appeal to the casual theatre-goer as well as to more dyed in the wool thespians, [title of show] takes a hard look at the pleasures and pitfalls of life as a performer, from living with - and slaying - doubts and insecurities about your art (“Die, Vampire, Die”) to the pure, child-like joy that comes from being part of a cast (“A Way Back to Then”). [title of show] is a special production for Dick, not only because it’s another premiere for the area, but because the show’s themes parallel his own journey with Hammer so well. [title of show]’s characters are “nobodies in New York”, taking a chance on an unrecognizable production because they believe in it, and they know others will too, something that resonates with Dick. He says, “It’s tough to be the new theatre company in town, presenting something new and original. It’s a risk. But thanks to our supportive audiences, it’s a risk that’s worked out well for Hammer.” [title of show] is written with a minimal set, and no elaborate show-stopping numbers, relying solely on four chairs and a keyboard, an aesthetic with which Dick also identifies. While Hammer Entertainment doesn’t have the luxury of massive budgets or spectacular production values, for Dick, the story itself is the most important thing, and Hammer has always prided itself on creating a quality product that tells a story well.
Like the characters in [title of show], Dick couldn’t have gotten this far without his friends. Theatre is about the joy of collaboration, working together with your castmates and crew to create something magical. While sailing hasn’t always been smooth, and there have been rough spots in Hammer’s journey, Dick maintains that it’s his friends that have helped him – and his company – navigate those rough spots. “When you’re working with friends, of course you’re going to have creative disagreements,” he says, “But in the end you come together because you’ve created this family, these relationships, that will always be stronger than any of you would be on your own.” Hammer Entertainment is a homegrown theatre company that, much like [title of show] itself, is for anyone who’s ever put his or her heart out there. If you’ve seen a Hammer production before, you’ll know why you shouldn’t miss their latest offering. And if you haven’t: well, now is the perfect time to become acquainted. As Dick says, “To quote a song in the show, we’d rather be nine people’s favourite thing than a hundred people’s ninth-favourite thing.” Judging from the thrilled audiences who keep coming back for more, it’s safe to say Hammer is a favourite thing for far more than nine people. [title of show] runs from February 3rd – 11th 2017 at the Citadel Theatre, 28 Rebecca Street, Hamilton. For tickets, call the box office at 905-3796520 or order online at http://hammerentertainment.ca/box-office
BY STACEY MILFORD Stacy is a Hamilton-based entertainment writer, performer and ESL teacher. She wrote her first novella at the age of 10, the same year she first appeared on stage (in a grade school production of Anne of Green Gables). Three postsecondary degrees later, theatre and writing remain her dual passions.
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ARTS
Frost Bites Changing Hamilton's theatre landscape
AS AN EMERGING ARTIST, YOU CAN BE A BIT TIMID WHEN IT COMES TO ASKING AN ESTABLISHED ARTIST OUT FOR COFFEE TO PICK THEIR BRAIN
From Left to right: LEFT: Designed by Cormac Figgis, TOP RIGHT: Frost Bites 2016, The Cotton Factory. Photo by DAVE PIJUAN-NOMURA BOTTOM RIGHT: Ryan Sero, Artistic Director of Make Art Theatre. Photo by CORMAC FIGGIS
Much ink has been spilled covering a Hamiton’s successfully growing arts scene. The Art Crawl is a monthly staple on the calendars of the city's art lovers. Cool venues like Casino Artspace and HAVN hold some of the best exhibits and events in the Hamilton core. The community theatre scene is as robust as ever; the Hamilton Fringe Festival enlivens downtown each sweltering summer with a smorgasbord of performance offerings, and Theatre Aquarius looms over the landscape as the region's professional theatre house. But how does Hamilton keep emerging theatre artists in town, sustainably producing their own work? How can Hamilton's indie theatre scene develop and flourish in a way that creatively satisfies audiences and artists while also remaining affordable and enabling theatre folks to earn a living wage? In 2015, the Hamilton Festival Theatre Company – mother company of Hamilton Fringe – embarked on an educational initiative called ALERT (Artistic Leadership and Entrepreneurial Training Program). The goal? Train the city's next generation of artistic leaders and bring young Hamiltonbased artist-producers together to create a new winter theatre festival. "We wanted to offer a program that would give emerging artists a hands on experience in producing a festival —providing them with the tools to create their own work and therefore live and work in Hamilton," explains the
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organization's Interim Executive Director, Marilo Nuñez. Together, the Hamilton Festival Theatre Company and these intrepid young producers planned and executed the first Frost Bites Festival at the historic Cotton Factory in February 2016. The city's first and only site-specific performance festival, over 400 people attended. Each year, the festival is held at a different location to give theatre artists an opportunity to build performances. Eight companies were chosen to construct performance 'bites' no longer than 20 minutes each on rotation during the festival dates, with audience members choosing which shows they'd like to see. Frost Bites provides an opportunity for Hamiltonians to view work that normally wouldn't be seen in the city – and gives artists a chance flex their creative muscles. Participating companies visited the AGH and chose a location on the grounds around which to create a performance. "The sitespecific nature is new to me," says Ryan Sero, Artistic Director of Make Art Theatre, one this year's Frost Bites companies. "I've seen it done and thought about it a lot, but there was something weird about walking through the AGH, looking around, being shown all of the potential performance areas and thinking, Okay, what could I do
here? For me, the interesting thing has been discovering what the space 'wanted' and working from there." By its nature, theatre is an intimately collaborative process—between designers, playwrights, performers, administrators, and audiences. The seven members of the 2016/17 ALERT team emphasize the role of collaboration and mentorship in their training program and in producing Frost Bites. The young producers are paired with both artistic and theatre business mentors such as Anna Chatterton (Doraaward nominated librettist, playwright and performer), Christopher Stanton (sound designer, actor, and director), Derrick Chua (entertainment lawyer and award-winning theatre producer), and Lorna Zaremba (General Manager of Theatre Aquarius). Carlyn Rhamey, one of the young ALERT members and creator of the solo show Saor at last summer's Hamilton Fringe Festival, praises the program's focus on gaining hands-on skills from seasoned professionals. "As an emerging artist, you can be a bit timid when it comes to asking an established artist out for coffee to pick their brain," explains Rhamey. "But both my artistic mentor and producing mentor
sat with me for hours, answering all my questions, giving advice and new ideas." After learning from their mentors, each ALERT member applies their new knowledge by assisting a Frost Bites company in different areas of producing. "I've met with my company a few times and been in constant contact over the last few months," Rhamey says. "I'm also the festival's Opening Night Coordinator and am working on planning invite lists, raffles, 'thank yous' and more." The festival runs from February 16-19, with tickets available at hamiltonfringe.ca. It's a chance for everyone to witness exciting theatre produced by new artistic leaders that challenges both artists and audiences. In Hamilton's growing indie theatre scene, it is a young festival that will make a lasting impact.
BY ALLISON WARWICK Allison has lived in Hamilton most of her life and worked with many arts organizations over the past few years—including the Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts, Hamilton Fringe Festival, Louder Than a Bomb Canada, Shaw Festival, Canadian Stage, Twist Gallery, and Keyano Conservatory.
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Affordable Studio Space for Lease Bright, affordable studio or office space that fits 1 to 6 people comfortably, centrally located in downtown Hamilton. The property is located at the top of Central Park at Mulberry and Bay St N. A rare opportunity to set up in the James St Arts District without paying the high cost of James St commercial rent and with none of the parking issues. Ideal for small businesses and small teams, or window front retail space. Don’t miss this unique opportunity. We would love to hear your ideas and set up a showing. We would be proud to assist you in bringing your vision to this vibrant community. PARKING WINDOW FRONT AFFORDABLE
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AVAILABLE NOW CALL (647) 222-2443
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EXPERIENCES
Stop thinking. Start living. According to Nics I’m not going to lie - it’s taken me a few days to bang out this piece. My brain feels rusty. Sitting in front of my laptop, I can’t remember the last time I was in this position – coffee shop music in the background while my fingers fly furiously across the keyboard. Chuckling to myself when I find something that I’ve written to be particularly funny, smirking to myself when I find something that someone at the next table said to be particularly funny (don’t judge me, we all eavesdrop!), chatting with strangers, and getting lost in my own world. That is my happy place. When I’m writing, things just seem to make sense. My thoughts fall into place, I can see the world (or at least my world) clearly and gain perspective when I need it most. Writing is my therapy, my passion, and my purpose rolled into one. I rarely know what I’m going to write about until the moment that my fingers hit the keyboard and then BAM. All of a sudden my thoughts, ideas and feelings are falling out of my head at a speed that sometimes leaves me spinning. There is no time to plan or prepare, to develop a concept of what the final product is supposed to look like, or even to worry about what people may think. There are simply my thoughts - raw, organic and real. The crazy thing is, it always comes together. Each time I finish a piece, I’m continuously amazed at the journey that naturally unfolds from one paragraph to the next and even more so by where the final sentence leaves me. Oftentimes I step back and think to myself, “damn, even I didn’t see that one coming.” I sit down, I let it flow and am never disappointed by what I’m able to shake out of my brain and onto the page. That’s not to say that every piece I write is sheer brilliance. Instead, it means is that everything I write has a little something unique in it and that something is my most honest self. When I sit down in front of my laptop, I let go of the need to methodically calculate or control every move I make. I don’t allow the opinions of others to influence or shape the message that I want
to share. I stop thinking about what the end goal should to look like and immerse myself in the moment. I trust myself and just let it flow. What’s interesting is that what comes naturally to me through my writing, I’m adverse to in my everyday life. While my thoughts flow freely on the page, I constantly try to structure, organize and analyze them on a daily basis. While I’m confident in my writing and unconcerned about what others may think of my words, I sometimes find myself crippled by the thought of being judged by others in real time. Through my writing, I allow myself to be vulnerable and to trust that the journey will get me to where I need to be. Yet, in my day-to-day life I find myself second guessing whether each step is the right step. Back-pedalling and careful examination have unknowingly become my state of mind. Unable to take a step in any direction without countless hours of analysis. Frozen by the fear of failure, yet all the while feeling like I’m failing because of my constant stationary position. Waiting for others to make a change, but knowing that true change can only come from within. Allowing the pressures of what I “should do” overshadow what I know in my heart to be what I’m meant to do. Experiencing brief moments of clarity before being sucked back into the tornado of chaos that exists when you allow uncertainty, doubt and fear to call the shots. Taking two steps forward and then six million steps back. They say that an unexamined life is not worth living, but what if somewhere along the line the examining becomes your entire life? At what point do we tell our brains to shut the f$%k up and let our hearts lead the way? As I sit in this coffee shop surrounded by the buzz that is life, I’ve come to a realization. It’s time to let the faith that I find in my writing jump off the page and into my life. It’s time to let my crazy, ambitious, passionate ideas run freely and trust that they will bring me exactly where I need to be. It’s time to just let life flow. Life can’t be figured out lying awake at night paralyzed by the fear of all of the “shoulds” that you have yet to cross off life’s proverbial to do list. In fact, I don’t think that life is supposed to be figured out all. Time spent painfully scrutinizing the past or living in fear of the future will only cause you to miss out on your entire life, which is happening right now. Put down the rulebook and follow the path that your heart leads you down. Open yourself up to the unlimited possibilities that exist in this life, because at the end of the day if you’re crazy enough to believe in yourself, you never know what might happen. And maybe that’s the point. According to Nics… BY NICOLE GROSEL A born and raised Hamiltonian with a passion for writing, Nicole Grosel is the author of the blog “According to Nics.” With the city that she loves as the backdrop, Nicole openly shares her perspective on life as it has been shaped by the unique people, beautiful spaces, and oftentimes unexpected events that touch her life on a daily basis."
accordingtonics.tumblr.com
S O L U T I O N S TO S T E V E DO K U S PUZZLE 1
Puzzle 1 (Easy, difficulty rating 0.40)
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P U Z Z2L(Medium, E 2 Puzzle difficulty rating 0.47)
P U Z Z3 L(Hard, E 3 difficulty rating 0.64) Puzzle
6 1 3 5 8 9 4 7 2
3 5 8 7 9 4 2 6 1
7 8 4 6 5 1 3 2 9
9 8 4 2 3 7 6 1 5
1 7 6 2 8 5 9 4 3
1 9 3 8 2 7 5 6 4
7 2 5 1 6 4 8 3 9
4 2 9 6 3 1 8 7 5
5 6 2 3 4 9 1 8 7
2 3 8 4 9 5 1 6 7
7 3 2 8 1 6 5 9 4
9 3 5 7 8 4 2 1 6
4 6 7 8 2 1 9 5 3
9 1 5 3 4 7 6 8 2
6 7 1 2 3 5 9 4 8
1 5 9 3 7 6 2 4 8
8 6 4 5 2 9 3 1 7
4 2 8 1 9 6 7 3 5
3 7 6 9 1 8 5 2 4
5 9 7 1 6 3 4 2 8
2 5 9 4 1 8 6 7 3
5 9 2 6 4 3 7 8 1
6 8 3 4 7 2 1 5 9
8 1 6 9 7 3 4 5 2
8 4 1 7 5 2 3 9 6
2 4 1 9 5 8 7 3 6
3 4 7 5 6 2 8 9 1
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FEBRUARY 2017
HUMOUR
So Weird, So Charming. Photo by NADINE SHAABANA
The other stuff that makes Hamilton great
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO SANTA ISLAND? ME NEITHER.
Many Hamilton people, when bragging about our fair city, like to mention the obvious attractions, like the UN-recognized, waterfall-blessed escarpment; the art, food and real estate renaissance around James North; the waterfront mix of lovely parks and struggling industry; downtown Dundas, Gage Park, Copps Coliseum, the Farmer's Market, the Haida battleship, etc. However, those are not the places in Hamilton that I find most interesting. My local geographic favourites tend to be obscure and odd places. For example, I really like the fish barrier. This wacky contraption can be seen from the Waterfront Trail and from the High Level Bridge to Burlington. It is a metaland-concrete wall in the water between Cootes Paradise and Hamilton Harbour, built to keep invasive carp out. Fish smaller than 5 centimeters across can slip through the holes in the wall but it keeps out bigger fish (like mature carp, which would destroy all of the natural plant life in Cootes if given the chance). Since other species of big fish (such as trout, pike and perch) need to get from the Harbour into Cootes, teams of cheerful scientists work on top of the wall in breeding season, 24 hours a day, scooping up huge numbers of big fish and letting the good ones slide down a plastic tube to Cootes Paradise, while booting any carp back to the Harbour. The fish barrier is at the western end of the popular Waterfront Trail and, when the weather is nice, crowds gather to watch the joke-cracking scientists at this important but bizarre waterslide for local fish. From the Boer War until 1928, Hamilton's young men trained to be soldiers in Ainslie Wood. They practiced with rifles and machine guns and grenades on what is now Rifle Range Road. The shooting targets were at the bottom of the Escarpment, on man-made barriers of piled dirt and concrete. These barriers -- known in military jargon as "butts" -- are still there, covered by mature forest, halfway between Alexander Park and the 403. On the south side of
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the butts are shallow indentations in the old concrete, where young conscripts would shelter as they held up targets and bullets flew overhead. Many of these local boys would later die in South Africa or Europe, never to return to Hamilton. Today, the butts seem to be mainly used by privacy-seeking teens, as suggested by all the spray paint and crushed beer cans and plastic pop-bottles with burned holes. I take my kids there sometimes and it's educational in so many ways. If you look up at the southwest corner of King and James, you'll see a pair of identical, mirror-sided buildings at One King Street West - Commerce Place. You will also see that the twin towers are, halfway up each of their sides, joined together by a reflective horizontal cross-bar - making the twin buildings look like a letter "H." You may ask, "Why did they build that?" And I would answer, "No idea." Maybe a bowling alley? Furniture storage? Dance club? What a mystery! Then there is what I call the tennis court of Ozymandias. If you've ever taken the 403 west, towards Ancaster and Brantford, you've seen it; though if you drive that way a lot, you have probably stopped noticing it. Directly beside the 403's westbound lanes, on the other side from the nearby Spectator building is the world's most decrepit and unusable tennis court. Its tall chainlink fence is sagging, rusted and covered by vines, while the concrete inside has been cracked open by dozens of small trees, plus lots of raspberry bushes. Some of the trees sprouting through the playing surface are taller than the fence. The grass around the rectangle of fencing is regularly cut, making the vegetation-filled ancient tennis court really stand out. What kind of impression does it make on the thousands
of people who drive past it every hour? If it costs too much to remove it, the City should at least bring in some tourist revenue by putting up a sign on the fence that says, "Hamilton Zoo," plus a box for donations. Travellers would pull over to the side of the highway and peer through the rusted fencing to catch a glimpse of a squirrel, a bird or maybe even a moth. Before there was democracy in Ontario, a radical activist (living in what is now Dundas Park) named John Rolph wanted to extend the vote and civil rights. He was hated by the local elite. Railway tycoon Alan MacNab was his worst enemy. One night, MacNab and some thugs broke into Rolph's house, covered him with tar and feathers, then chased him out of the area. They illegally seized Rolph's property. The gates to Rolph's Dundas home - made of fine grey stone, topped with a pair of large, decorative balls - were moved to MacNab's house, Dundurn Castle. Rolph's stolen gates are still there. (Another suggestion for City Hall - maybe the stolen gates should be moved back to Dundas Park, to honour Rolph?) Have you ever been to Santa Island? Me neither. But I've read about it in the Spec and am fascinated by it. Officially named Neare Island, the place I call "Santa Island" is a lump of rock the size of a restaurant patio in eastern Hamilton
Harbour, near the Canadian Centre for Inland Waters. To protect the nesting sites of endangered gulls, scientists are trying to keep this island free of cormorants: darkfeathered, blueeyed birds the size of a chicken, but with bigger wings. They are a common, destructive pest in our Harbour. But how to keep them away without hurting them? Robot Santas, of course! The team of scientists - led by McMaster biologist Jim Quinn - bought a couple of motion-detecting Santa Claus figures from Canadian Tire and stood them up on Neare Island. The humanoid figures are almost life-sized, with bright red clothes and bushy beards and jolly plastic faces. When a bird approaches the island, the motion detectors make speakers in the Santas start playing Christmas carols, while the grinning Santas bob side to side, in a sort of awkward festive dance. The native gulls don't seem to mind this, but it freaks the cormorants out, making them go elsewhere. I find it amusing to think about this pair of robots on tiny Santa Island, who are on-duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, dancing with birds to "Jingle Bells." That's my Hamilton - so weird, so charming.
BY MARK COAKLEY
Mark lives in Ainslie Wood. He's the author of Tip and Trade: How Two Lawyers Made Millions From Insider Trading (2011) and Hidden Harvest: The Rise And Fall Of North America's Biggest Cannabis Grow Op (2014). He is now writing a legal thriller set in Hamilton. markcoakley.wordpress.com
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STEVEDOKU S O L U T I O N S TO P U Z Z L E S O N PAG E 1 7
PUZZLE 1 LEVEL: EASY
PUZZLE 2 LEVEL: MEDIUM
PUZZLE 3 LEVEL: HARD
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