Food for Thought with Alex Bielak- Sips and Bites (and #MadLove): The Departures, Returns and Arrivals Edition.

This week we heard of the sad and untimely passing of Dave Hanley, founder of Popup Hamilton, and a great booster of the city’s chefs and culinary scene. Dave, with his trademark porkpie hat and #madlove tweets, genially took the Hamilton food scene by storm, beginning with a series of Dishcrawls – a precursor to the Popup events – through Hamilton’s neighbourhoods. Food for Thought wrote about him several times beginning in 2013, noting “Dishcrawl was a win for Hamilton.”

Hanley leaves a wife, and young daughter, and a GoFundMe campaign is underway to help defray funeral and other costs. A candlelight vigil is being planned for this coming Saturday, Sept 23, at the East Side of Sam Lawrence Park from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fittingly NOSH, the 2017 edition of Hamilton’s upcoming culinary week, has been dedicated to him. RIP Dave.

In other news, the 5th Annual Flamborough Chillifest takes place at the Waterdown Legion this Tuesday, September 26th 4 – 8 pm. The event – always a fun time for families – is organized by

Media Release: Hamilton Weighing Amazon Bid

Hamilton Weighing Amazon Bid

Statement by Mayor Fred Eisenberger

Friday, Sept 8, 2017, Hamilton, ON - Amazon has announced plans to establish a second company headquarters in North America. It is seeking proposals from local and state/provincial governments. The benefits in terms of jobs and economic development are self-evident and unprecedented.

The City of Hamilton has obtained Amazon’s Request for Proposals document and has established a team to analyze the criteria with a view to responding with a Hamilton proposal. We are already fielding offers of help from local external stakeholders. In addition, my office has been in contact with the provincial government to indicate our interest.

Although detailed analysis is required, a quick read indicates that Hamilton meets many of the criteria that Amazon has established, including location in a large metropolitan area, proximity to mass transit and rail, proximity to major arterial roads, and proximity to an international airport.

In addition, Hamilton has many additional advantages such as proximity to the U.S. border, world-class educational and medical sectors, and very attractive lifestyle attributes including restaurants, culture, and access to natural areas. 

We are acting quickly as Amazon has established a tight timeline with a deadline of October 19 to receive submissions. I will keep Council and the public updated as work progresses.