As we close in on a new decade, Global News is reflecting on the last 10 years with some of the Hamilton and area’s most well-known personalities.
Tim Potocic, who became Hamilton’s 75th citizen of the year in 2013, is the founder of the hugely successful Supercrawl street festival. The four-year-old signature event — showcasing not-for-profit music and arts — drew close to 250,000 people over four days in 2018.
Potocic shares his thoughts on Hamilton over the last decade.
Global News: What were you doing in 2010?
In 2010, we were just in the early days of building Supercrawl and transitioning our music company to offer more live events. Over the last 10 years, we have effectively transitioned and are running hundreds of events a year in Hamilton as well as working with the CFL on Grey Cup and The Junos Awards on show production.
Global News: What is your general assessment of the city’s arts scene since 2010?
The arts community continues to build in Hamilton. More artists continue to move to Hamilton to develop their careers in an affordable way and the word continues to spread that Hamilton is an open and inviting place for new artists to take up residence.
Global News: What were the success stories you think the city has had in terms of the arts and music in the last decade?
The arts community continues to grow, that in itself is a success. Other genre-specific artists and companies are relocating to Hamilton in film, music and theatre — all positive steps to the increased stability of the sector.
Global News: What were the challenges for Hamilton in the last 10 years?
Hamilton is always fighting the historic obstacles of it being a dirty and unappealing place. Also, as prices rise artists are forced into different areas of the city. Constant change and movement can be hard to overcome when trying to establish a career or business.
Global News: What do you think was the single biggest story (good or bad) for the city in the last decade?
Lately, there are a multitude of stories to choose from. In general, 2019 has been one of the most difficult years in recent memory for our city council and staff to manage. It seems like there is a lack of consensus within the leaders of the city with how to move the city into the future. I would sincerely hope that in 2020 we see a radical change in thinking and collaboration among the leaders in the city.
Global News: What improvements are you hoping to see in Hamilton over the next decade?
Better transit. Specifically, transit within the city for commuters. It needs more coverage and needs to move people quicker.
We also need improved efficiency within the walls of city hall to make decisive decisions on just about everything. Business, economy, etc.
Both of these avenues need serious attention.
Global News: What does the city need to make a priority?
I actually see four equally important priorities the city needs to address:
- Transit. More buses, more SOBI bikes, better GO service and an LRT.
- Subsidized Housing through mix-use development.
- Increasing density to drive more humans into downtown sectors of the city.
- Attracting business to Hamilton.
Global News: What does the city need to make a priority?
Leadership and creating a direction for the City of Hamilton that can be adopted by future leaders.
Comments, opinions and thoughts of the subject of this interview are their own and do not reflect the opinions or comments of 900chml.com or Global News.
This interview may have been edited for length and clarity.