new blueprint to guide Hamilton's future. The plan used now is 12 years old.

Among other things, they will be looking at expanding Hamilton's boundaries, closing off some streets to traffic and development of Hamilton's waterfront.

We can only think that Hamilton would like to expand its boundaries westward so as to collect taxes west of the present Bermudiana Road boundary. That would allow the City to benefit from the new Bermudiana development, from the ACE Building and from the proposed new Pearman Watlington complex. In our view, expansion to the west has gone about as far as it can and there should now be consideration of redevelopment to the north.

There are a number of other things which can be done quite easily to make Hamilton more "user friendly'' and to lighten up the atmosphere of the City.

We should be encouraging rather than discouraging a move outside with sidewalk and waterside cafes. The Front Street verandahs should be connected to allow people to shop in the dry on rainy days. Rainy days are visitor shopping days and that could be encouraged.

The often experimented with Reid Street block between Burnaby Street and Queen Street has to become a pedestrian area. As it is right now, pedestrians are turning it into that simply by walking in the street.

It may be that Queen Street from Front Street to Church Street should also become a walking area, allowing shoppers to spill over into Par-la-Ville Park and routing traffic around the larger block from Burnaby Street to Front Street to Bermudiana Road to Church Street. Burnaby, Church and Bermudiana in that area would have to be no parking areas to allow the traffic to flow.

Hamilton would then have a central retail block with additional pedestrian access through Washington Alley and Walker Arcade.

Hamilton will probably also be looking at the completion of the "ring road'' by finishing Dundonald Street through to Par-la-Ville Road North.

It would be helpful to move the public lavatories to elsewhere in Par-la-Ville Park so they do not block the public entrance to the park from Queen Street.

Many cities have learned the value of water and are busy redeveloping their waterfronts. Hamilton still has a great deal to learn. It is content to waste the edge of one of the most beautiful harbours in the world on car parking.

The waterfront should be an enjoyable walking area with cafes and kiosks, not cars. Number One Shed should be a premier retail site. The Chamber of Commerce building should be the place for a dockside fish restaurant and Albuoys Point needs outdoor music.

We think it is most important that Hamilton now looks at ways to move people around within the City. Uncomfortable cities deter shopping and one reason people shop abroad, aside from price, is the comfort and convenience of malls.

If Hamilton begins to accommodate pedestrians and to work on some rain cover and a more lively outdoors it will be on its way to being one large mall.