Downtown Subcommittee Discusses Sidewalk Safety, Scooters, and Downtown Revitalization

The Downtown Subcommittee discussed sidewalk safety in the core, complaints about Bird scooters and other micromobility devices on sidewalks, communication with residents and businesses about downtown construction, downtown service standards, and the memorial clock. Several items are expected to return Oct. 6, including an interim downtown update and a motion on scooter-related complaints.

Topics Discussed

1. Sidewalk safety in the downtown core

Resident Lori Brady raised concerns under Item 6.1 about bikes, skateboards and e-scooters being ridden on downtown sidewalks. She told the committee, "my concern is contrary to newspaper headlines as a downtown resident, my greatest fear stepping out the front door of my building every day is not being hit by a random bullet or being stabbed randomly. It's getting run over by someone on a bike, a skateboard, or an e scooter on the sidewalk."

Brady identified King Street East between Jackson Square and First Place, and James Street North in the International Village area, as places where sidewalk riding is common. She said she had been hit twice by adult cyclists on James Street North in the past four years and was nearly struck the day before the meeting by a person on a personal e-scooter. She also said a dog being walked nearby was nearly hit by the same rider.

She added that larger devices should not be on sidewalks, saying, "Um but they should not be taking up space with full e-bikes that look like motorcycles on the sidewalk."

2. Bird scooter enforcement, geofencing and sidewalk obstructions

The committee also discussed Bird scooters being ridden or parked on sidewalks, including on James Street North, King Street East and Augusta Street. Members raised concerns about narrow sidewalks being blocked when scooters are left against fences or street furniture.

The discussion is expected to lead to a motion at the Oct. 6 meeting. Councillor Alex Wilson said, "We're going to work on a motion and bring to bring back here together to list all the different things that you brought up here because those are all things we can investigate and we should have bird look at more holistically."

Members also discussed asking Hamilton Police Service for targeted enforcement and encouraging residents to continue filing complaints with Bird so problem locations can be documented.

3. Downtown construction communication

Under Motion 9.1, members discussed whether the city's notices about major downtown construction clearly explain what residents and businesses should expect.

Member Zaraf said, "anecdotally, once I left the meeting, I was speaking with some people, residents and businesses who didn't know what the construction was for, even though there's signage, even though there's been communication or were approaching construction, surprised by the construction."

Councillor Esther Pauls said the wording of notices can be too technical for residents scanning them quickly: "For a lot of residents, they may receive a notice or they may receive information. Information be sent or put in a place where they can see it, but they go right by it because it says something like uh I don't know uh con Yeah. the the something in the titlesometimes is a construction notice uh comma water main relining adjustment re-lining adjustment and it's like great that means something to perhaps me and perhaps people who are involved in that but people don't generally know that means oh the road will be closed in this manner for this long until they read maybe two-thirds down the notice, right?"

The motion asks staff to report back on current communication methods for large construction projects, identify gaps beyond minimum standards, and suggest improvements.

4. Downtown service standards and revitalization work

Under Motion 9.2, the committee discussed creating elevated service levels and a clearer standard of care for the downtown.

Phil Caldwell, manager of commercial districts and small business, said, "I think what's in it captures a lot of what we heard through the consultation on the downtown strategy."

Staff said an interim update will come back in October, with a broader downtown implementation update later. Councillor Alex Wilson told the committee, "our intention right now is that we are going to come back to this subcommittee in October with an interim update before we do that. Now, will it provide the answers to everything outlined here? No. Uh, we simply do not have the ability to respond to everything in here within the time frame of of October. Um, but for sure, I think we can provide a a a look at where we've gotten to at that point."

5. Memorial clock update

The committee also discussed the memorial clock and the cost and implications of restoring it.

Vice Chair Braithwaite said, "It's going to cost as much as it cost to originally build the clock as it is going to cost to rebuild the clock. And so the question becomes, what's that look like? Can we get that sound back? Who's going to verify that the sound is even similar? Because that's the thing I think some people are missing that who've been in the neighborhood for a long time, but many others are not."

Members discussed how the clock's sound may be experienced differently now that more residents live nearby. The item is expected to return Oct. 6 with additional reporting tied to horticultural assets.

Motions

• Motion 9.1 — Downtown construction communication report back: Passed.
• Motion 9.2 — Downtown service standards / elevated service levels and standard of care: Discussed; outcome not specified in the notes provided.
• Motion to return the memorial clock item with a report on horticultural assets on Oct. 6: Passed unanimously.
• Future motion on Bird scooter complaints and geofencing issues: To be brought forward at the Oct. 6 meeting.

Attendees

• Vice Chair Braithwaite
• Member Walsh
• Member Zaraf
• Member Morirana
• Member Wakeford