September 2020
To Whom It May Concern,
Since its founding in 1972, the Durand Neighbourhood Association’s mission has been to be an active, resident-based voice engaging community members and advocating for neighbourhood priorities and improvements. One of the key priorities of the DNA in recent years has been safe streets. In particular, the DNA is committed to advocating on behalf of projects that make streets safer for all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and automobiles.
In the past, the DNA has been involved in a number of traffic calming projects culminating in the Durand Traffic Study in 2002. From principles of this study a number of projects have emerged in the neighbourhood which the DNA has advocated on behalf of. Some of these include, traffic calming on Aberdeen Avenue west of Queen, two way conversions of Bold and Duke, the creation of the Herkimer and Charlton bike lanes, a leaner Bay Street South with two way bike lanes, and most recently the Queen Street two-way conversion. These projects have been successful in calming traffic, making streets safer, and helping make the neighbourhood more livable. We believe that the traffic calming pilot project planned for Aberdeen Avenue is a measure that has the potential to bring about similar positive benefits to both the Kirkendall neighbourhood and the Durand neighbourhood. Data available from the City of Hamilton clearly indicates that the measures being proposed are justified and needed to ensure safety of all road users.
Moreover, the traffic calming measures being proposed are only part of a pilot project. This means that temporary changes can be made, data can be collected, and the traffic calming measures can be amended if any major negative impacts arise from the changes. We believe that now is not the time for city council to waver in their support of vision zero, and the pursuit of their stated goal of making Hamilton the best place to ‘raise a child and age successfully’. For these reasons, the board of directors of the DNA has chosen to wholeheartedly support Councillor Wilson and residents of Kirkendall in their desire to bring about changes through the Aberdeen traffic calming pilot project.
Sincerely,
Christopher Redmond
President, Durand Neighbourhood Association
On behalf of the board of directors, DNA
CC: Jason Farr, City Councillor, Ward 2