The city is a step closer to fitting a glass slipper on the failed stadium lands near Hamilton’s west harbour.
The planning committee formally voted on Tuesday morning to add “production studio” to the list of permitted uses on the Barton-Tiffany lands, near Bayfront Park.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger started foreshadowing a film studio at that location before last fall’s municipal election, and in a potential further sign of progress, a “disposition of real estate” at Barton-Tiffany is on the closed portion of the agenda for Wednesday’s general issues committee at city hall.
Downtown Coun. Jason Farr says he looks forward to cleaning up a “barren and obnoxious toxic hot spot,” adding that he’s confident it will happen “very, very soon.”
LISTEN: Jason Farr, City Councillor, Ward 2 talks about the future of a film studio for the Barton-Tiffany lands.
Farr adds that drawing a film studio to the property would also be big from an economic development perspective, with the potential to create hundreds of jobs.
The 16-acre property has sat vacant for almost a decade since it was purchased by the city as a potential west harbour stadium location.
The stadium, now known as Tim Horton’s Field, ending up being built in Hamilton’s east end on the same site as the former Ivor Wynne stadium.
In 2017, Hamilton issued 539 film permits and the sector contributed just over $12 million to the city’s economy through direct spending on hotels, location rentals, catering and other services.
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