Hamilton votes to begin revitalizing Barton Village, improve reputation

A large corridor in Hamilton is set to undergo steps to re-invigorate it into its former glory, while trying to improve Barton Street’s reputation.

A motion was passed at city hall Wednesday directing staff to put together a strategy to make Barton Village beautiful again.

The councillor for the area says the main issues with Barton are the roads, the amount of empty buildings, and garbage.

But one business owner says there is one other big issue that needs to be addressed.

“They want to feel like this is not the forgotten corridor of the city,” said Hamilton Ward 3 Councillor Nrinder Nann.

It’s no secret that Barton Village has a reputation.

“The claims that it’s dirty and dangerous, you know they have been around since the 1970’s, early 70’s,” said Nadine Ubl, the executive director of Barton Village BIA.

“When people look in, they look at us as being dirty, dangerous, things like that,” said Alice Plug-Buist, the executive director of Helping Hands Street Mission.

But Ubl and Plug-Buist say it’s an area with life just waiting for revitalization.

“When I walk the street here, an involved community member, I find friendliness and community engagement,” said Plug-Buist.

“People that live and work and play in this neighbourhood know its potential, know its value,” said Ubl.

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Ubl and Plug-Buist spoke to city hall Wednesday in support of a motion brought forward by Nann, which aims to re-invigorate Barton Village and the adjacent corridor.

“What the motion does is direct staff to put together a short term, mid term, and long term strategy that looks at four areas,” said Nann.

These include addressing issues like pot holes and pipe repair, waste services, empty and derelict buildings, and housing, human health and social services.

The hope is that with these fixes more people and business will come to the area. The BIA points out that it’s affordable.

“A small storefront — 750 square feet — might run you $2,000, compared with $2,500 or more in other places within the city,” said Ubl.

One business owner says he was drawn to Barton Village because of its affordability, and he sees potential, but he says there has been one issue he believes needs to be addressed before businesses will want to come to fill the empty storefronts.

“Our main problem is a drug problem, not an unhousing problem, or a mental problem — it’s primarily a drug problem and the rest follow thereafter,” said Ted Paras, the owner of Hotties Smashburgers. “Our job, instead of just selling burgers and ice cream, is to be a security — we can’t be security, we can’t police, we have problems all the time.”

Meanwhile, at city hall Nann suggested a positive change on Barton Street could fuel the same across the City of Hamilton.

Nann’s motion was passed later in the afternoon, and she says the first step is to get the roads fixed.

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