March 2017 | Urbanicity Hamilton by UrbanicityHamOnt

URBANICITY.CA

MARCH 2017 COMPLIMENTARY MAGAZINE

THE IMPORTANCE OF PLACE

HERITAGE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS IN HAMILTON?

WESTDALE THEATRE

NEW OWNERSHIP TAKES OVER THE ICONIC VENUE

JAMES THOMAS

AN INTERVIEW WITH HAMILTON'S CHALK CHAMPION

MARTINUS GELEYNSE COCKTAILS WITH KB

541 EATERY & EXCHANGE COFFEE COMMERCE, AND COMMUNITY

PIGEONS

CELEBRATING THE OFT-FORGOTTEN FOWL

IDEAS // ISSUES // EXPERIENCES // ARTS // CULTURE // BUSINESS // STYLE // CITY LIFE

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 1

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

CMYK

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 2

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

CMYK URBANICITY.CA

P U B L I S H E R + E D I TO R MARTINUS GELEYNSE martinus@urbanicity.ca L AYO U T & DE SI G N Tafari Anthony EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Taylor Evans DISTRIBUTION urbanicity Omnimedia Inc.

urbanicity magazine is wholly owned and published by urbanicity Omnimedia Inc. All content copyright ÂŠ 2017 and all rights to distribution are reserved by urbanicity Omnimedia. 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.

DISTRIBUTION 40,000+ readers per month. Distributed throughout Hamilton, Dundas, Ancaster, Stoney Creek, Waterdown, Aldershot, and Burlington. 12 issues per year. ADVERTISING INQUIRES Call (289) 796-0931 ads@urbanicity.ca www.urbanicity.ca

â&#x20AC;&#x160;FROM THE EDITOR + PUBLISHER In May 2011, the first issue of urbanicity Magazine rolled off the presses and into the hands of new readers across Hamilton. It was an 8-page 30" broadsheet that was printed entirely in black and white. It was a new project that I launched in response to what I felt was inadequate media coverage of urban Hamilton; it's ideas, issues, and experiences. The downtown needed a voice, and I wanted to do my part to give it one. Now, 71 issues later, this is my final issue as Editor, Publisher, and owner of urbanicity Magazine. The last six years have been quite the ride, to say the least. Since it was launched, urbanicity Magazine changed formats from broadsheet to tabloid, increased in page count, added colour in 2014, expanded circulation, and grew into Burlington as well. In this time, it has benefitted from three editors, five different designers, and well over 200 individual contributors. I have been tremendously privileged and continually humbled to work with all of these passionate people. It never ceased to amaze me that every month, year after year, people of all types and views would send in articles they had written for publication. It is truly staggering to think about just how much there is to discuss, debate, and share in a vibrant city like Hamilton. In my very first editorial, I wrote that, "In an increasingly globalized world, the value of local content is now greater than ever. Never has it been more important to provide a forum for the exchange of local ideas, issues, and experiences." I believe that this is still the case. However, since I wrote these words, the local media landscape has changed dramatically. Small local papers have popped up in many of Hamilton's neighbourhoods, local blogs have proliferated rapidly, and even the major media channels themselves now seem to spend generous time covering Hamilton's lower city. Downtown has many voices now, and that can only be a good thing for all of us. Looking forward, urbanicity Magazine will continue to focus on the ideas, issues, and experiences of this great city. The new team is keen and excited. and I wish them nothing but the best going forward. While I will remain involved with the magazine as part of its advisory board for the next six months, I will now focus fully on growing my creative agency. I'm excited to tackle new challenges, and I am very much looking forward to what is next. Personally, I want to thank you all for reading these last six years. Thank you for contributing, for advertising and for distributing. Thank you for joining in the conversation. I look forward to reading the April issue! MARTINUS GE LE YNS E

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor can be sent to editor@urbanicity.ca. Letters may be printed at the discretion of the Editor and will be printed as they are received, without editing for content, grammar, spelling, or length.

This is in response to your February Urbanicity editorial. My parents also lived through the Nazi occupation of Holland, just like your grandparents. So I totally understand your aversion to Nazi-like behaviour. But I want to aleviate your concern about Trump. Newspapers have been lying about Trump. He's not a racist, like they say. A homeless black woman has been living in his tower for 10 years for free. During his month in office police has incarcerated 1500 human trafficers and pedophiles. Why are the main stream media lying? They are owned by globalists that decided at their Bilderberg meetings that Hillary would be president. Check out David Seaman on YouTube. He got fired from Huffington post bc he wrote an article critical of Hillary. The whole Trump-is-a-Nazi narrative is construed by the media who is an extention of the Democratic Party. Trump is actually a decent man (albeit with some weird quirks) who will do a lot of good and make his country safer. It's the rioting left who's more acting like Nazi thugs. Anyways, I hope I've alleviated some concerns, Herman van Barneveld, Hamilton

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 3

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

MARCH 2017

IDEAS

The Importance of Placemaking Why it's time for heritage conservation districts in Hamilton

Gore Park Image Courtesy of Downtown Hamilton BIA

Cities, towns and villages across Ontario are acting to preserve heritage buildings, structures and landscapes. It’s part of a growing movement to maximize the inherent value — economic, social and environmental — of built and natural assets that help define the special character of local places and spaces. To this end, the province, under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act, gives municipalities the ability to create heritage conservation districts through designation bylaws. This provision, enacted in 1980 and strengthened in 2005, enables local councils to preserve heritage and manage change at an area level that extends beyond individual properties. A comprehensive plan with guidelines is now a requirement in the detailed process of designating a heritage conservation district. This plan, developed by the municipality in consultation with property owners and a range of community stakeholders, describes a district’s heritage attributes and defines the objectives of the proposed designation. These objectives are district-specific and typically seek a healthy balance of conservation and sympathetic development. In general, a designation plan is intended to help stimulate dynamic, modern uses as opposed to introducing restrictions that have the effect of freezing a district in time.

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 4

Districts vary widely and range from select neighbourhoods and boulevards to town squares and precincts. The majority of Ontario’s designated heritage conservation districts comprise commercial or residential “main street” areas, sites of concentrated economic and cultural vitality. According to current provincial records, there are 125 heritage conservation districts in Ontario. Roughly half are classified “commercial/residential,” and many are high profile main streets in downtown settings. Leading examples can be found in Ottawa (Sparks St., etc.), Toronto (Queen St. W., Yorkville, etc.), London (downtown), Collingwood (downtown core), and Oakville (downtown). Hamilton has seven heritage conservation districts, all established between 1986 and 2000. Six are residential: Cross-Melville Area, Durand-Markland Area, MacNabCharles St. Area, St. Clair Blvd., St. Clair Ave., and The Beach. Only one is commercial/residential: Mill St. in downtown Waterdown. This distribution of uses goes against the grain of provincial trends and exposes a need for the City of Hamilton and its residents to consider opportunities to designate additional commercial districts. A prime candidate is the Gore Park precinct located in the heart of Hamilton’s historic city centre. Gore Park — like The Square in Goderich and By Ward Market in Ottawa — meets the conservation district criteria set out by the province: it boasts a concentration of

heritage assets linked by context and use; it has a sense of visual coherence through building scale, mass, height and materials; and, it has a distinctiveness that is recognizable from surrounding areas. Gore Park is the enduring soul of our community, animated through landmarks and memorials, Veteran's Place commemorating Hamilton's military history, a civic garden and a signature fountain. Seen in the context of recent municipal investments in the public realm (including the removal of the bus terminal and the addition of pedestrian-friendly amenities) and private investments in real estate (including the Royal Connaught condominiums and Lincoln Alexander Centre), the stage is set for Gore Park to become a premier heritage conservation district. To top things off, there’s the promise of a light rail transit line that will connect Gore Park — and its businesses, attractions and services — to our entire city and a growing region. This will help create the economic and demographic conditions for sustainable revitalization. The key benefit of a heritage conservation district designation in Gore Park is the assurance that future change will complement the overall character of the precinct, especially as seen from the street. It would prevent the demolition of significant buildings or new construction considered by stakeholders to be out of synch. On whole, studies show that district designations tend to

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

URBANICITY.CA

Gore Park Streetwall image from 1996 Gore Improvement Study

boost property values in periods of economic growth and maintain those gains during recessions. For example, a 2012 study by the Heritage Resources Centre, University of Waterloo, tracked property value changes in the Mill St. heritage conservation district in downtown Waterdown. It showed that “the majority of properties are performing at or above average, indicating a neighbourhood that is doing better than its non-designated surroundings.” District designation also provides property owners with access to various municipal incentives designed to help support sympathetic improvements. Major players in Hamilton — including our municipal government, business improvement associations, neighbourhood groups and chambers of commerce — are committed to energizing historic commercial corridors and districts city wide. The best approach is to use a variety of tools to unlock the highest value from heritage buildings and structures

while introducing a framework for managing change. Heritage conservation districts informed by local plans and guidelines should be considered a tool of choice. Visit mtc.gov.on.ca to learn more.

BY RICHARD ALLEN Richard Allen is an award winning social entrepreneur and the founder and director of The Renew Hamilton Project, an initiative of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. He is also active in advocacy for heritage property preservation and conservation.

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 107 KING ST E, HAMILTON, ON L8N 1A9

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 5

SADDLES

WWW.BRUHA.COM/EVENT/638

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 6

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

URBANICITY.CA

ISSUES

Learning for Life Strong schools are key to an inclusive society

how me the state of your nation’s schools and I will tell you about the health of your democracy – which right about now should make us all of us a little bit nervous.

IT WOULD BE BAD ENOUGH IF THIS TOXIC BREW WAS RESTRICTED TO THE ADULT WORLD, BUT OF COURSE OUR CHILDREN ARE LISTENING CAREFULLY.

Schools have always been both microcosms and battlegrounds in our society’s culture wars. In today’s context, it is more important than ever that the defenders of an open, inclusive society focus thoughtfully and comprehensively on empowering and supporting students to be intellectually curious, open-minded, compassionate and resilient in the face of intolerance. In the past year, teachers and principals report that sexist, racist, homophobic and xenophobic incidents in schools have exploded. Clearly this isn’t happening in a bubble, but is part of a larger coarsening of civic discourse. It’s easy to blame political events in the US, starting at the top with Donald Trump riding a wave of resentment and perceived exclusion right into the White House. But please don’t think Canada is immune. The violence recently visited on a Quebec City mosque is an extreme example of blaming “the others”. Just look and listen just as carefully at reprehensible online comments to news articles, social media and tirades at the next booth in the coffee shop. The acceptance of intolerance and the scapegoating of immigrants, refugees and minorities is creeping insidiously from the political fringes into our mainstream.

Photo by JJ THOMPSON

Put all this in the context of declining public trust in civic institutions, and you have the perfect storm for those who want to stick it to the “elites” in government and media. It would be bad enough if this toxic brew was restricted to the adult world, but of course our children are listening carefully, learning how to behave from the examples we set. Worst of all, while "safe spaces" are being created for disseminating falsehoods and prejudices, the actual safe spaces for our most vulnerable citizens are under threat. The very institutions that have taken such a hit in public trust in recent years need to refocus on connecting with the public - and especially people living in vulnerable circumstances, who are too often written off and forgotten in public policies. One of the ways the Hamilton Community Foundation is working on this in Hamilton is through a web of programs designed to reach at-risk children to understand the challenges they face and provide real,

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 7

practical and useful support to ensure they remain in school and reap the rewards of full participation in an inclusive society. I've written before about the ABACUS program and its groundbreaking, evidencebased strategies to help more kids reach their full potential. But it's easy sometimes to get lost in the policy details and forget about the larger context. The stakes are now higher than ever. If people feel left out of the promise of a fair and just society, it becomes more appealing to listen to those voices who want to destroy an inclusive society, because they feel they have nothing to lose. Public schools remain one of the few places that are accessible to all, regardless of means, background, culture or sexual orientation. Ideally, schools are places that prepare us for life, not just through education in the classroom, but also by equipping us with the social and emotional skills and resilience for the future.

There may not be much do to stop bad behaviour on the world stage, but locally we can create places where young people build understanding and empathy for our differences and commonalities. If we are thoughtful and principled, we can show our children that there is a better, more hopeful way for them to connect while recognizing the strength of diversity, openness and inclusion.

BY TERRY COOKE Terry Cooke is the President and CEO of the Hamilton Community Foundation

@ TerryCookeHCF

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

MARCH 2017

PLACES

Westdale Theatre: The Sequel New ownership takes over the iconic venue

Left: Westdale in the 1950s, Right: 1970s Images courtesty of Hamilton Library Public Archives

he show will go on for the Westdale Theatre. The houselights may have come up briefly, but Hamilton has once again proven itself capable of keeping the hand of progress from demolishing all of its crown jewels. The Sorokolit family of Toronto owned the theatre for thirty-six years. When the patriarch of the family passed away, many wondered whether the Westdale would be sold and, if so, to whom? The question was answered this past winter when the Sorokolits listed the theatre for $1.8 million. Film producer and Dundas resident Fred Fuchs loves art house cinema. When he moved to Dundas two years ago he was disappointed that there were no genuine art house theatres in Hamilton. The closest place to go was the Bell Lightbox in Toronto. When he heard about the sale of the Westdale, he saw an opportunity to bring new life, and art, into an old building. He organized a meeting with several members of the Hamilton arts community who were also concerned about the possible demise of the iconic single-screen 450-seat venue. The speed at which everything came together is worthy of a silver screen adaptation itself.

Within 72 hours, Mr. Fuchs, along with retired entrepreneur Bob Crockford, Graham Crawford of the Incite Foundation, and Jeremy Freiburger of CoBALT Connects, registered Westdale Cinema Group as a non-profit organization, submitted an offer for the theatre, and settled on a purchase price. They officially take possession of the building at the end of April. But they are already in the process of conducting a building inspection, determining restoration and conservation costs, and connecting with the rest of the Hamilton community, who are keen to be a part of the Westdale Cinema Group’s plans. “It feels like one of those projects that has to happen,” responded Mr. Fuchs when asked about timelines. Although they are not sure how long it will take to restore the theatre, the group is keen to do it “as soon as possible.” And the Westdale Cinema Group is aware of the potential for the theatre to be a community hub. “My vision has always been an inclusive project and to get the whole [Hamilton] community involved,” Mr. Fuchs explained. “And it’s not just a cinema. There’s going to be a stage, so you can have orchestras, musicians, comedians, public speakers, lecturers, town hall and community meetings, [and] live-streaming events, like the opera.” “When we’re finished, this will be a state-of-the-art, best cinema experience, perhaps not just in Hamilton, but all of southern Ontario.”

Photo courtesty of Graham Crawford

Mr. Fuchs is quick to point out that the Westdale Theatre has a soul. Built in 1935 in Canada’s first planned community, the Art Deco theatre has a long history in Hamilton’s collective memory. Many people can recall their first dates, or the first time they saw a particular movie, in the seats of the Westdale. It’s a blessing to see a group of people in our community care enough to make sure that it continues to serve as a space for many more future memories.

BY OLGA KWAK Olga Kwak is a Hamilton-based writer and marketer. Her work has appeared in She Does the City, Torontoist, Toronto Star, The Genteel, and PRODUCT Magazine. She builds websites and writes from her office on Barton St. East. Visit www.olgakwak.com for more advice on doing the right thing online.

@Olgakwak

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 8

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

URBANICITY.CA

F E AT U R E

THAT CHALK GUY,

JAMES!

His work is humourous, provocative, political, and temporary. You'll find the chalk drawings of James Thomas on a number of sidewalk signs downtown, including those of Jack and Lois and Architect Hair Design. These aren't your average restaurant street signs. They're intricate pictures depicting pop culture icons and political figures with the colour and detail typically seen on the walls of local galleries. After finding myself stopping frequently to admire the ever-changing sandwichboards on my walks down James North, I decided it was time to learn more about the man behind the mini murals. -Martinus Geleynse

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 9

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

MARCH 2017

JAMES THOMAS What's your artistic background? Who are you as an artist and as an individual?

happy it makes me watching people stop dead in their tracks to look at the work and then come in.

I think I’ve always been an artistic, or at least creative person in some regard or another. I’ve been drawing since I can remember, although after high school it became much less frequent with the exception of a few gifts. I jumped into performance in theatre and film halfway through high school and continued into university where I obtained my Honours Degree in Theatre and Film. I’ve performed in several community theatre groups including Hammer Entertainment, Hamilton Theatre Inc., Fringe, and the Player’s Guild. I’ve also been on television in commercials and on a History TV show called Air Aces. It’s funny that so many people who have known me for years had no idea I had any visual arts talents until I started the whole chalkboard work and posting it on social media.

Any favourite pieces of art that you've done? Why?

How did you get into chalk art? It's a unique niche, isn't it? Yeah, chalk isn’t the most common medium. I got into using chalk pretty simply; I started working at Jack and Lois over a year ago. As part of my first opening shift, it was my responsibility to do something for the chalkboard sign out front. Since it was November 5th (Guy Fawkes Day), I decided to draw up a quick Guy Fawkes mask from V for Vendetta for fun. Everyone loved it and from that point on it became an ongoing thing that has continually snowballed. I’ve learned quite a few things through constantly using it and I’m always trying to push myself by using a new technique or method.

Where do you get your ideas? Your work often depicts humour, celebrities, tributes... Most of the images I drew at the beginning were derived from the date including birthdays, anniversaries of events, etc. Then I started doing things to coincide with whatever was happening, movie and TV releases (Walking Dead, Vikings, Game of Thrones, Deadpool), the Blue Jays playoff run, holidays, Movember (in which I did a famous moustachioed man each week) or even the death of David Bowie. Most times I tied it into the restaurant somehow, but Eric, who owns Jack and Lois has been incredibly supportive and open of everything I’ve done so I’ve really been able to let loose. Which has brought me to the last several I’ve done, which have been quite political, mostly because things have been impossible to ignore or not speak out about. Of course the main goal is to do anything that makes someone stop, digest the image, and then check out the restaurant. I cant tell you how

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 10

My favourite pieces? That’s a tough one because without realizing it I’ve managed to do so many in such a short period of time. I guess having to update the board so frequently has really forced me to not only create so many, but I am constantly trying to out do myself. There are of course a few that have stood out for me. The Simpsons’ version of Mulder and Scully, Deadpool, a Bowie commission, Hunter S. Thompson, Negan and Lucille from Walking Dead. Things really started to roll with Ron Burgundy, I started to use colour differently and since then the portraits have really seemed to pop. The Meryl Streep/ Rosie Riveter piece definitely got the biggest response during the Women’s March - which gave me the confidence to try some more politically driven things like Trump and Putin kissing for Valentine’s Day just after the whole Russian scandal was breaking.

Do you have any artistic dreams? Images, surfaces, projects you'd love to tackle some day? Dreams… well of course the ultimate dream for any artist, in any field or medium, is to live off their work. Ideally, I would love to be able to support a healthy, happy lifestyle while creating visual and performing arts. I don’t want to only use chalk either, as I also paint and sketch. I’d like to try a few other mediums, combine them…who knows what’ll work - I just want to enjoy myself.

Any exciting projects coming up? Future plans or goals? First off, I’m not the only one who has fun with the chalkboards; both my good friend Jessica, who worked at Democracy and now My Dog Joe, and Pippa, who rocks the Democracy board now also do some amazing stuff. I think it might be fun to spend a day collaborating with them. For the immediate future I’m just hoping to get things off the ground. I’d like to get more permanent pieces together, get some high quality images for prints for sale. There are a few pieces I’m hoping to get finished including a few commissions, which are always fun and obviously welcomed. There are some projects that I look forward to getting started, but nobody likes any spoilers so…

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

URBANICITY.CA

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 11

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

MARCH 2017

C OC K TA I L S W I T H K B

Martinus Geleynse Outgoing Publisher + Editor of urbanicity Magazine When I first learned that Martinus was passing on the reins of urbanicity Magazine, I knew I needed to dust off my Cocktails with KB feature and come out of retirement. When we started this column, I asked him if he would ever be a topic of one, to which he replied “Maybe, someday. But something big has to happen for me to do that.” I would say his last issue as editor, publisher, and owner of this magazine is pretty big. Having known him for 10 years, I knew this interview would be interesting, intriguing and exciting for urbanicity readers. His passion and deep love for Hamilton, and his unending motivation, determination, and his sheer grit make me proud to call him my friend. I can’t wait to see what he does next. Grab a cocktail, or a beer, and enjoy! What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Two things, both from my dad. The first one would be when I was considering breaking up with Nina for the first time (in Grade 11) and he said “If you have to ask, or think about it this much, it’s probably the wrong thing”. He was right: it was

the right thing, but at the wrong time. We broke up then, but years later we eventually got married. So, since then when I wasn’t confident about a big decision, I would walk away. It’s like the 60/40 rule, if you say you’re 50/50 on this one thing, don’t do it. You always need to be a minimum of 60% sure of something that has real consequences. That’s the first piece.

The second piece is something my dad always said to me (can’t imagine why!), is from the Biblical book of Romans “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather consider yourself with sober judgment”. I’ve always taken that to heart.

Eat Well. Do Good.

Feast

for

St. Joseph’s

February 19th - March 19th, 2017 Dine at one of our partner restaurants* and 10% of food sales will support hope, healing and discovery at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. Satisfy your appetite for great food and support a healthier future for all of us!

stjoesfoundation.ca/feast *At time of printing, for a complete list visit stjoesfoundation.ca/feast.

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 12

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

URBANICITY.CA

Who is on your guest list for your ideal dinner party and why?

9 symphonies, did a mic drop, sadly he died young, and that was it.

Pierre Trudeau. I love Justin, but I would want to have dinner with Pierre because he was the catalyst for a lot of the Canada we know today. I would love to ask him about the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and also because in many ways, the world that we have now is reminiscent of the unstable, tumultuous times of when Trudeau was Prime Minister.

Martin Luther. (KB: Wow, this took a turn. Can I be there? MG: No, I can only have 7!). Martin Luther was an academic, and he stood up against the entire Church of Rome. He did so on a principled, reasoned basis. His 95 theses on the door of the Wittenburg church in 1517 changed the course for the next 600 years of history in western politics, religion, social justice and policy. If you don’t want to have someone like that at your dinner table, you’re missing out.

Guy LaLiberté, the creator of Cirque du Soliel. He redefined what a circus is, and did it in a way that brought the entire world together in a completely globalized theatre company that is still proudly Canadian-based. I would love to have Eddie VanHalen there because, out of the group of people I would invite, he would be the only one who would join me in drinking beer. Seriously though, he has been my guitar idol forever. I have an EVH Wolfgang and I used to even have a 5150 stack. He is a modern musical genius that truly revolutionized the electric guitar as an instrument for countless artists after him. I would want to have Elon Musk because I think he is the Thomas Edison of our day. I think he is reinventing many of the inventions of the last century. I think 200 years from now he is going to be someone that people read about in textbooks because he will have redefined what energy, space travel, and transportation mean to people. I would want to have Ludwig Van Beethoven. While he has always been my favourite composer, I think he and Eddie Van Halen would have an absolute blast at the end of the table together and he would probably join us in drinking the beer. He wrote pieces and symphonies, that from his time onwards, intimidated everyone in their compositions, to the point where nobody wrote 130 symphonies ever again. Before him, Haydn wrote over 130 symphonies. Beethoven wrote

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 13

The final person at the table would be Nelson Mandela. He would have a good conversation with Elon Musk (a fellow South African), and would have a fantastic time with Mr. Trudeau, but I think he would bring a whole additional viewpoint to the conversation.

We’re two months into 2017, what are you most looking forward to in the remaining 10 months? Something I’m very excited about is the birth of my son, in April (God willing). I’m also pretty amped about the next phase of my business. On another note, Nina and I are currently renovating a new house, and exploring some new opportunities. So, where we’re going to be a year from now will be a radically different place from where we are now. The next 10 months are going to a remarkable period of change and growth and transition.

What’s the best thing about what you do? Professionally, I truly, genuinely, love working with small businesses. I love meeting people, working with them. I love learning their business, learning who they are, what they do, and then finding a way to work with them to market or advertise their company. I love running into people, walking around the city. I love popping into shops, visiting friends and their businesses

and developing constructive relationships. I love, everyday, living, working and playing among all kinds of amazing people. Personally, I love being a dad. I love picking my daughter up from school. When she sees me at the door, she screams and comes running toward me for a big hug.

Who or what has been the greatest influence on your career and why? Honestly, as someone who never studied business, the biggest influence on my career has been reality. It’s waking up in the morning and saying, “Okay, this is what I have to do, these are the clients I have to service, these are the bills I have to pay, these are the staff I have to compensate.” The biggest influence has been reality: the lessons, the joys, the demands, and the daily ups and downs of being (and staying) in business.

If you could wave a magic wand over Hamilton, what three things would you want to accomplish? Term limits on council. If you can’t get your work done, if you can’t make your mark in 8 years, you’re ineffectual. Get off. Not having term limits is holding our city back because councillors build fiefdoms and complacency. I do not doubt that they mean well but, at the end of the day, a seat on City council is not a career, it’s a calling. Bring your gifts, views, and ideas, and then leave graciously. Time for someone else. One of the marks of a healthy democracy is the rotation of power. Another thing would be for the entire city to understand that we are all one city. At the end of the day, all of our tax money goes into one place, and all of our services and administration comes out of that same one place. We need to learn to get along and we need to learn that what’s good for one area, is often ultimately good for all of us. When LRT goes in downtown, Ancaster, Binbrook and Sheffield all benefit along with the downtown. When the rural and suburban areas thrive,

everyone benefits. Simply put, what happens to the city happens to all of us. We’re all in this together. We need to get over our regionalism, and function as one city.

LIGHTING ROUND BEST GIFT YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED: My Swiss Army knife from my dad. I got it for my 10th birthday. Once, when I was in France, I accidentally had it in my carry-on,

You’ve run for city council, you’ve run a film festival, and you’ve owned a magazine all in Hamilton. Where do you think your love and passion for this city come from?

and I got stopped at security in Charles de Gaulle airport because they wanted to confiscate it. I left security with tears in my eyes, sprinted to the first customer service desk I saw and explained the situation to the (fortunately) sympathetic French woman at the counter. She mailed it all the way to

I don’t know. I think this city has a compelling narrative. This city was small, became rich and powerful, then suffered economic decline and now is clawing its way back by itself. I love the people in this city. They’re real, they’re tough, they’re creative, they’re ambitious, they’re ideological, and they’re confrontational.

my dorm room in Grand Rapids, Michigan for me (probably with her own money). It arrived several weeks later. I still have it. HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR COFFEE? Large. Tim Hortons. Roll up the Rim. Single Cream. A BOOK YOU PLAN ON READING: “Detroit: An American Autopsy” by Charlie LeDuff WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Compelling narratives

Honestly though, I think I love Hamilton because I chose to love it. I think that it’s much like any good relationship, if you can say exactly why you love something or someone, then that love can be subject to change when circumstances change. I have chosen to be here, I have chosen to love this city, and I don’t think it’s based on any reason or rationale. I simply love Hamilton.

What’s next for Martinus Geleynse?

WINDOW OR AISLE: Always a window. There’s no point in flying if you’re in the aisle. FIRST THING YOU DO WHEN YOU GET HOME? What day of the week? Tuesday. Have dinner with my daughter. FAVOURITE BAND: Van Halen and Sigur Ros FAVOURITE SOLO ARTIST: Matthew Good BAGEL OR CROISSANT: Croissant HIDDEN TALENT: Voice impressions

We’re about to find out! WHAT’S SOMETHING NEW YOU

For one, the largest part of our company over the last several years has been our creative agency side. So, I look forward to building that under the new brand called Make Media to serve local small and medium sized businesses. I also look forward to doing some new things, and applying myself in new ways and some of those are yet to be determined.

LEARNED IN THE PAST WEEK? The scale, beauty, and accessibility of the American Capital during a weekend trip. PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? I don’t know what the proudest would be, but I’m tremendously proud that urbanicity Magazine has grown and flourished over the last six years. I remember when we first launched the magazine, people thought we were crazy to start a print publication in Hamilton in 2011.

BY KRISTEL BULTHUIS Kristel Bulthuis is the former Editor of urbanicity Magazine, and is currently a Property Manager with Core Urban Inc. Kristel lives downtown in the heart of everything, and still might sit and have a cocktail with you someday.

@kbulthuis

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

CMYK 14

MARCH 2017

IDEAS

541 Eatery & Exchange Coffee, commerce, and community

People who use buttons everydaywhen they get some money, they buy buttons to contribute to be on the giving end of the pay it forward system,

n the midst of an exploding food scene in Hamilton over the past few years, we have one of the most unique places anywhere in 541 Eatery and Exchange, a not for profit restaurant located at 541 Barton St. East. Their concept is bold, audacious and brilliant. Located in a building that was formerly used as a bank, the people behind 541 have created a widely used community space that offers excellent food at very reasonable prices. The uniqueness of 541 is their ‘pay it forward’ system of using buttons as currency. There are 2 jars of buttons on the counter by the cash register. One jar can be used by patrons to make a donation-each button represents one dollar. Buttons are donated and placed in the second jar, allowing other patrons to use these as currency, up to five dollars or buttons per day. The idea here is to provide an opportunity to allow the entire community to be able to come to a place, order a healthy meal and be served at a table, regardless of their financial status, creating a sense of community and dignity for all. 541 has been in existence for 2 and a half years, and has been a resounding success. Sue Carr, Executive Director said they “wanted a place for the community to look after itself-by volunteering, paying it forward with the button system, donating or engaging in the wide ranging programs we offer.” These include a regular after–school homework club, annual Christmas parties, and a hugely successful Galentine’s party for the women of the Barton East community this February.

Photo by BEN SCHULTZ

space where people from different stratified social groups could come together. We felt this was our biggest gamble-would people sit with people who are different from them.” It has certainly worked out, and she sees it as a drawing factor for them. The restaurant itself is gorgeous-a well-lighted space due to the banks of windows and high ceilings. The floors are wide wooden planks, and the wooden tables come in a variety of sizes to accommodate all manner of groupings. There are counters and stools over-looking both Barton and Westinghouse streets. The brick walls are painted white and adorned with an ever-changing presentation of local art. It is very funky. The sense of community pride and ownership of 541 is also evident. “People who use buttons everyday-when they get some money, they buy buttons to contribute to be on the giving end of the pay it forward system,” said Crockett. “Poverty does not preclude generosity.” Area residents feel that 541 has put them on the map, and helps to normalize an area that is often looked down upon. A local resident once told Crockett she was ashamed to tell people she lived on Barton Street. Now she’s proud to say she lives across from 541. Crockett also said the founders wanted to create an affordable, full service restaurant that served healthy meals in order to combat the “food desert” of that part of Barton, dominated by fast food options and variety stores. The idea of serving affordable food is a huge boon for struggling customers. It also encourages those who have the means to contribute to do so, given that the food they purchase would be far more expensive in any other place.

However, keeping costs low is a challenge, given that 541 pays market prices for most of the food they serve. “The way to keep prices low is to reduce payroll costs,” said Carr. As a result, 541 employs 13 people in full and parttime positions. Its real strength, according to Carr is the virtual army of some 200 volunteers who help run the place by doing food prep, front of the house service, dishwashing and a myriad of other tasks that make 541 run smoothly and efficiently. Many of the volunteers come from the local community, and enjoy the opportunity to give back. She also said the significant numbers of volunteers helps to create a “home like environment-it’s not utterly polished, but it helps to create a relaxed environment where a huge mix of people share the same space and eat the same food.” This relaxed environment also extends to the kitchen said chef Carolyn Vaughn, who has been part of the 541 team from its earliest days. Unlike the restaurant kitchen that is typically portrayed as an intense and sometimes hostile place, this kitchen is positive and encouraging. “We are trying to serve the community here. We try to act as mentors, focusing on teaching and welcoming people first, before worrying about kitchen and serving chaos.” Donations can be made in-house or online at http://fivefortyone.ca There are actually three ways or streams to donate, but Carr said they are kept very strictly separate. “If you donate toward buttons, that money goes toward buttons.” Most donations come at the Christmas season, and are parceled out throughout the year.

Miranda Crockett, a manager and co-founder of 541 spoke about the impact they have had on the neighbourhood, and indeed the citywide community. “We wanted to create a

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 14

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

URBANICITY.CA

Photos by BEN SCHULTZ

If you haven’t been yet, you should go. Go for a great coffee or cappuccino; or a baked treat; an excellent breakfast; or a full meal, like a pulled-pork sandwich, homemade soup, or a plethora of other choices. If you have the means, you can donate buttons. You will experience a truly unique place that helps to create a tremendous sense of community in an often over-looked part of Hamilton. You won’t regret it.

BY KEN DURKACZ Ken Durkacz has recently retired after a 30-year career in teaching. He is a long time Hamilton resident, and has been a frequent contributor to the Hamilton Spectator’s commentary page.

Carr told me they “hoped 541 was a good neighbor, and hope we’re showing people possibilities of what could be. Grace begets grace.” Indeed! If you go, you’ll see how true that is.

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 15

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

MARCH 2017

BUSINESS

Forge@Mac Startup Competitors Q & A with two semifinalists and one past winner The Forge is a startup accelerator affiliated with McMaster University and part of the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs. With a location at McMaster Innovation Park and a second location on James Street North, the initiative has 40 startups in its roster. The organization’s ultimate goal is to build Hamilton into the next major technology and innovation hub.

LUMAGO

Forge@Mac is the on-campus iniative of the Forge. Each year it holds a startup competition specifically for McMaster students. This year's startup competition will take place on March 23, and will award $100,000 in cash prizes to the winning teams. Learn more at theforge.mcmaster.ca

20/20 OPTIMEYES

Describe your startup: what's your elevator pitch? While eye drops are frequently used to treat ocular conditions, they have lots of limitations - you have to apply them at least twice a day, they burn when you put them in, and they can take a long time to work. At 20/20 OptimEyes, we’ve created a better eye drop. This drop sticks to the eye, reducing the dosing to once or twice a week. It is more comfortable and works faster to reduce symptoms. We’ve shown it’s safe and works with a dry eye disease model, and we are hoping to start clinical trials later this year.

Where did the idea for your startup come from? Our start up came out of the 20/20 Network, a federally funded research network combining over ten researchers from four universities with industry and patient input. Through this, we were able to identify the need for better drug delivery technologies that could make it easier for patients to administer their medications. In particular, we saw elderly patients with severe dry eye disease struggle to put in up to six drops a day. This encouraged us to create a drop that could last for a couple of days, improving patients’ conditions and limiting their daily struggles.

How does participating in this competition help your business?

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 16

Frances Lasowski, Business Development Engineer, 20/20 OptimEyes and holds her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from McMaster University and current semi-finalist in the Forge@Mac Student Startup Competition 2017

Melissa Houghton, Co-Founder and CEO, Lumago and holds her Master's Degree in Engineering, Entrepreneurship and Innovation from the Walter G. Booth School at McMaster University and previous winner of the Forge@Mac Startup Competition 2016

OptimEyes2020.com

Describe your startup: what's your elevator pitch?

This competition gives us the chance to share our technology with a diverse group of people. From similar events, we have met people who suffer from eye conditions, work with people who manufacture similar products or have contacts in the pharmaceutical industry. We are beginning to fundraise for our human trials, and these contacts, as well as the potential prize money, will help us move our technology forward.

Do you hope to stay in Hamilton after McMaster? Why or why not? All of our founders have strong ties to Hamilton and we anticipate moving into the new BEAM facility when it opens later this year. We have been very fortunate to have access to the great facilities at McMaster University the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster and hope to continue to utilize them as we grow.

Has being in Hamilton helped or influenced your startup? If so, how? Hamilton has been a great home for us as we started 20/20 OptimEyes. We have benefited from great infrastructure within McMaster University and great expertise from the local innovation centres. With such a strong and growing focus on healthcare in Hamilton, this environment has been very beneficial to connecting us with the right people in these early stages.

LumagoTech.com

Lumago helps farmers be more competitive by increasing the profitability of the greenhouse industry by offering the first modular and expandable aquaponics system with predictive water controls making aquaponics accessible to farmers at a low cost.

Where did the idea for your startup come from? Last fall, I was walking through the grocery store looking for tomatoes. I could not find any that were ripe, and noticed that they were all imported from countries over 3,000 km away, even though I knew Hamilton had greenhouses less than 10 km down the road. Why weren’t local greenhouses selling locally? It came down to the simple fact that it was cheaper to drive a tomato 3,000 km than grow it in Canada in the fall. That is when I knew things had to change. I started considering cheaper ways to produce food, but the greenhouses had mastered that. What they hadn’t mastered was creating additional value for their produce. Aquaponics produces food that is of higher quality, as well as organically certifiable, which all add value to the produce, allowing them to compete in local markets.

How does participating in this competition help your business? Competing in the Forge@Mac Student Startup Competition gave Lumago the financial and confidence boost it needed to transition from a student project to a startup. The mentors, community, and opportunities have been absolutely

invaluable in making connections with potential customers, business planning and overall exposure.

Do you hope to stay in Hamilton after McMaster? Why or why not? Yes. Hamilton is in the middle of the three largest cities key to our industry: Leamington and Niagara for greenhouses, and Guelph for aquaculture. We are also a hardware company that will require manufacturing and skilled manual labour when we reach full-scale production; two areas that Hamilton is known for. To top it all off, Hamilton’s entrepreneurship ecosystem is just starting to explode, and what better place to be than here as it starts?

Has being in Hamilton helped or influenced your startup? If so, how? For the same reasons that Lumago will stay in Hamilton, Hamilton has influenced its growth and direction. Being so welllocated has helped us make connections that would have been very difficult to make otherwise. Our pilot program running at Niagara College would not be as successful as it is if it wasn’t so easy to go and visit it a few times a month. Our networks would not be as inclusive of key industry leaders if we did not have such convenient physical access to them. Being a startup in Hamilton’s growing entrepreneurship ecosystem has provided us with opportunities we would not have received anywhere else. In Hamilton, we are not one of thousands of competing startups, and therefore have received attention and care that has allowed us to evolve quickly into a fullfledged startup.

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

URBANICITY.CA

BUSINESS A I VA L A B S

Adnan Somani, CEO, Aiva Labs and current semi-finalist in the Forge@Mac Student Startup Competition 2017 AivaLabs.com

Describe your startup: what's your elevator pitch?

to solve this problem by focusing on converting customers after they get to a webpage, an under-served but very important part of the marketing funnel.

Aiva uses artificial intelligence to change web design, primarily through a solution that helps marketers easily design and deploy intelligent campaigns that gets better at converting traffic when it gets to their site. By intercepting users at key moments in their browsing experience, Aiva makes sure that customers find the right content and offers at the right time.

How does participating in this competition help your business? This competition will help Aiva rapidly accelerate its go to market strategy by providing resources to help us build our user community through supporting both the creation of online content and digital advertising. Scaling our user base will also allow us to push more innovative features that continue to help marketers more easily convert traffic on their websites.

Where did the idea for your startup come from? Through years of working in marketing and advertising we learned that while the online advertising space had developed a large set of mature tools and capabilities, they only focused on part of the conversion equation. We found in many cases, successful online advertising campaigns (as measured by click through) did not result in successful sales for businesses. We set out

Do you hope to stay in Hamilton after McMaster? Why or why not? Upon graduating McMaster, our goal is to continue building our company in Hamilton. We have loved the opportunity to contribute to Hamilton's presence and

innovation in the digital tech space. We would also want to continue engaging with McMaster professors ranging from the Faculty of Engineering to the DeGroote School of Business and leverage additional research opportunities to continue developing Aivaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reputation and thought leadership in the psychological & digital marketing space.

Has being in Hamilton helped or influenced your startup? If so, how? Hamilton has been integral in our early growth as a startup. The Forge provides Aiva countless resources, advice as well as work space for our team. The Hamilton technology community has also helped us immensely by giving us opportunities to participate in demo days, helping connect us with other contacts in our industry and

giving us booths in local expos. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also started working with local agencies as our first customers who have been a great asset for feedback.

The Vintage Marketplace Presented in Partnership with

April 22 & 23 , 2017 Hamilton convention centre 1 Summers Lane, Hamilton, ON L8P 4Y2

SATURDAY VIP SHOPPING HOUR

10AM TO 11AM

$10

SATURDAY REGULAR HOURS

11AM TO 5PM

SUNDAY

10AM TO 5PM

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 17

$7 $7

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

MARCH 2017

HUMOUR

Pigeons Celebrating the oft-forgotten fowl

In world literature, there are many beautiful and inspiring poems about birds that live in and around Hamilton – eagles, robins, seagulls, blackbirds, swans, hummingbirds, etc.

Mike Tyson, the noted athlete and philanthropist, is also a strong pro-pigeon activist. He maintains a pigeon shelter in New York City and has released a series of videos, Backyard Pigeon Stories. (Google that if you want your privilege challenged.)

Few poets, however, praise the pigeon. If people only knew more about pigeons, many of the hurtful stereotypes would, I believe, quickly disappear.

Why is that? Is it because of their lifestyle? Unlike those trendy and popular birds, which can be found soaring majestically in the sunset or sliding across a mirrorlike lake or flittering from flower to flower, pigeons generally have less inspiring pastimes, like pecking at frozen french-fries on the sidewalk and wandering around like idiots in a parking lot. Plus, most pigeons are slobs, leaving their feathers and their poops and their hideously designed nests all over the place.

For example, too few people know that the original name of the pigeon was "wild rock dove." The dove is the symbol of peace, so when I think of a "wild rock dove," I imagine an individual who is peaceful and likes to get wild while listening to guitar-based music like The Eagles, The Jayhawks and The Byrds. If pigeons were still known as wild rock doves, I bet there would be a lot more poems (and rock songs) about them.

Is that why it seems acceptable these days, even among so-called progressives, to be openly prejudiced against the entire pigeon community? There is no denying that certain people spend millions of dollars each year on netting and sign-spikes and falcon-breeding programs, all with the goal of persecuting this defenseless bird. Pigeons are often kicked at in the streets, having to quickly flap aside to avoid the boots of oppression. They are verbally mocked as "feathered rats" and "vermin" and "birdbrains." They live in slum like conditions, with little hope for a better life. And, to add insult to injury, we cruelly refer to people with mobility issues as being "pigeon-toed."

And did you know that pigeons were humankind's first domesticated bird? About 10,000 years ago, ancient Egyptians started keeping pigeons for food. If history had turned out a little differently, there might today be KFP outlets all over – but the domestication of the chicken (in China, about 7,000 years ago) ruined any chance of that. Pigeons have been used for centuries for carrying vital messages. A nobleman in Renaissance Italy, for example, would tie to the leg of a pigeon a secret note – e.g. Hey, Lorenzo, what do you think of my new pigeon? – and release the bird in the dark of night from the top tower of his castle. The pigeon would fly hundreds of leagues north, through treacherous weather, avoiding hawks and archers, arriving unerringly at the Florence castle of Lorenzo the Great, who would read the message over dinner and then tie a note to a different bird for return delivery – Your pigeon tasted awesome, Niccolo. What do you think of this one?

There are a few men and women of conscience, however, who are brave enough to speak out in protest. Bert – from the longrunning reality show Sesame Street – is a well-known pigeon's rights advocate. His one-man Broadway show, First They Came For The Pigeons, raised awareness of systemic anti-pigeon bias and is considered a classic of protest theatre. (The anti-pigeon views of Bert's partner, Ernie, eventually led the two men to a bitter divorce.)

In those olden days, pigeons were kind of like today's Twitter, but with fewer insane trolls and gentler cooing. There is much to admire in the pigeon. They are true lovebirds. Courtship begins with a male puffing out his throat (like guys who stick out their chest to look more built), as he marches confidently towards the female. He makes low groaning noises and occasionally stops to bow his head in her direction and peck his beak into the dirt. The female finds this very romantic. Not wanting to rush things, however, she delays the moment they both fantasize about by coyly flying or walking away. The male follows. When she stops, he performs a few wing-flapping pirouettes in the air, then bows down and vomits at her feet. They dine on his regurgitated offering together, which is a pigeon version of a wedding – they are monogamous and inseparable from that time on, until death do them part. As devoted as they are to each other, pigeons are even more devoted parents – often working their feathers to the bone to provide for their children,

S O L U T I O N S TO S T E V E DO K U S PUZZLE 1

Photo by FABRIZIO VERRECCHIA

PUZZLE 2

who still act like ungrateful and entitled brats. Unlike many of the popular and trendy birds, pigeons do not spread bird flu. However, many pigeons do suffer from low selfesteem. I blame society. Pigeons perform a valuable garbage-disposal function in downtown areas, but also are helpful to humanity by eating insect pests, such as roaches and centipedes. If not for the heroic efforts of the pigeons, there would be swarms of many-legged vermin in Hamilton, crawling maliciously towards our homes right now – should not that at least earn our gratitude? Reader, if this ode to the pigeon has touched your heart and dispelled outdated stereotypes, I ask you to turn your feelings into action. Yes, go outside right now and find the nearest pigeon. Apologize, then – to let the healing and the reconciliation begin – I want you to reach out and hug that pigeon, hold it close to your heart.

PUZZLE 3

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

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 18

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

STEVEDOKU S O L U T I O N S TO P U Z Z L E S O N P G . 1 8

Sudoku PUZZLE 1 LEVEL: EASY

6 7 9

4 2

Id: 131890

1 8

Level: Easy

Set Numbers: 31

6 7 2 9

5 9

5 3 7

4 5 9

1 5

Sudoku PUZZLE 2 LEVEL: MEDIUM

1 4

7 8 2

Id: 85586 Level: Moderate Set Numbers: 23

7 3 4 Solution 6

4 5 8 2

1 5

3 2 9

Sudoku PUZZLE 3 LEVEL: HARD

5 7

1 9

Id: 178222

2 6

Level: Difficult

Set Numbers: 22

5 9 8

2 4 3 Solution 2

8 6

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 19

5 1

7 9

2017-03-02 5:39 PM

Urbanicity_March_2017-M Purple.indd 20

2017-03-02 5:39 PM