Editor's Note
True, that’s not exactly news, earthshattering or otherwise – change is the one constant, we’re often reminded. (Not that this gets us out of death or taxes.) What makes this recent phenomenon noteworthy, though, is that the change seems to be inspired not by predictable factors but unfamiliar forces. It arises less from external sources than from within ourselves. Not the cruel and spasmodic whims of industry, the passive-aggressive parenting of various levels of government, big ticket fingers-crossed panaceas like the Pan Am Games or petty annoyances such as the more-litter-than-winners Roll Up The Rim contest. Rather, quaint notions like civic engagement, grassroots communities and creative thinking. Not to mention elbow grease. Old-fashioned maybe. But definitely not out of fashion. The pop demographer will want to pin this shift in public sentiment on the Obama phenomenon. (Which is lazy, but it’s not as if Canadian pols have given us much to work with.) If so, it might prove to be the most enduring legacy of that masterfully branded presidency: the reminder that institutions can be shaped by the collective will of individuals. You don’t have to look far to find renewed public appetite for making a contribution to the lives of our communities.
Best of all, this change looks to move beyond the neurotic NIMBYism that has defined our cities in terms of what they are not and stake out more ambitious visions of how things could be, of how things should be – of the dream we deserve.
With the arrival of a new season and a new decade, we thought it was the ideal time to turn our attention to some of the people who are involved in making these abstract notions of change concrete. Along the way, it quickly became obvious that the bright omens were too numerous to catalogue in their entirety. Consider this issue a snapshot, then; a glimpse of a phenomenon we’ll be tracking throughout the coming year.
Keeping with the theme of change, regular readers will notice a change in the magazine starting with this issue. Inspired by the dawn of a new decade, we’ve juiced up the visual component of the book, redesigning things so that departments are more crisply defined and easier to navigate. At the same time, we’ve remained committed to finding some of the most colourful personalities and vivid details of city life.
We’d love to know what you think of the redesign and the rest of the magazine. Take a moment to visit hamiltonmagazine.com and fill out a brief readership survey. If you need an incentive, that feedback also gets you entered into an online contest. And while you’re online, you might want to connect with us through Facebook www.facebook.com/HamiltonMag and Twitter www.twitter.com/hamiltonmag.
David Young
Editor
