Hamilton debates ‘pause’ in hanging flower basket program

Downtown business group pleading with city to keep the beautification program

Bright purple flowers hang in front of boarded-up buildings in Hamilton’s Gore Park.

Hamilton horticultural staff want to stop hanging colourful flower baskets above city streets — at least for now — over fears the dangling 75-pound planters will fall on passersby.

Budget challenges and environmental concerns also play into the contentious recommendation to “pause” the long-running floral display.

But business owners, already frustrated by myriad downtown challenges, oppose the loss of the popular beautification program — and councillors appear split on how to handle the growing controversy.

The hanging basket program annually dangles 701 floral baskets above the heads of visitors to downtown and other commercial go-to locations.

But a new city report is recommending a “pause” and review of the $145,000 program in 2025 based on a list of concerns topped by safety — in particular, uncertainty about the reliability of aging brackets used to hold the soil-filled baskets above city sidewalks.

Environmental services director Cynthia Graham told councillors last week there have been no “incidents of harm” from falling planter buckets, but a recent asset management review revealed there is no set inspection program for the brackets.

Horticultural staff report wear and rust are affecting some of the brackets, which hold planters weighing between 60 and 75 pounds each.

Contracted workers who water the baskets at night — a practice meant to avoid daytime traffic backups — also report having “been harassed or experienced assaults” in recent times.

Graham also noted there is a growing “disconnect” between the program and council priorities around climate change and biodiversity.

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For example, she said hanging baskets require more watering than planted boulevards — which means more gas-powered visits by water trucks. Council is also pursuing a biodiversity action plan that calls for more native plants, which are not often used in hanging baskets.

The proposed hiatus spurred a written appeal from the International Village Business Improvement Area, which argued ending the basket program even temporarily would leave “a void” in Hamilton’s already struggling downtown.

“Downtown Hamilton is currently facing several challenges that the BIAs are trying to manage on a daily basis,” wrote International Village executive director Susie Braithwaite. “Taking away programs like this will only add to the frustrations that the businesses are facing in the core. If anything, we need extra attention and supports now more than ever.”

She also wrote the BIA does not have the funding to take over hanging baskets in its area, an option suggested in the city staff report.

The pitch literally split councillors at a public works committee last week, with the program hiatus failing to earn approval on a 6-6 tie vote.

A confluence of factors, including the pandemic and homelessness, have hit the core hard.

If that decision stands, city staff will bring a program spending hike request to council for consideration during the 2025 budget deliberations to handle additional contract and safety costs, Graham said.

The hiatus debate is expected to be revisited Wednesday at council, however.

Downtown councillor Cameron Kroetsch said via email he hoped to approach other councillors ahead of the meeting to find amendments to the staff recommendation that are more widely acceptable.

At last week’s meeting, Kroetsch said he understood the public safety aspect of the staff request for a basket hiatus. “We don’t want to put anyone in harm’s way,” he said.

But he also suggested the city should look at alternative beautification “enhancements” for areas posed to lose hanging baskets temporarily.

Stoney Creek councillor Jeff Beattie questioned why city staff didn’t come to council first with options to keep the beautification program alive.

“I think the timing of this is bad,” said Beattie, who noted the challenges facing BIAs across the city. “I’m really concerned that if this project is pause for a year, it many never come back.”

Matthew Van Dongen is a reporter with the Hamilton Spectatorspecializing in transportation and the environment. Reach him [email protected].

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