Hes Community Day Release

Hamilton Economic Summit MEDIA RELEASE Design Cafés Invite Young People to Help Plan Future Event HAMILTON February 5, 2009: The Hamilton Economic Summit has introduced a new element to help address the need to involve local students and youth in the collaborative process of renewing our community. “Senior community leaders at last year’s summit emphasized the importance of asking young people to share their ideas on how Hamilton can become one of Canada’s top communities of choice for the next generation,” says Richard Ward Allen, senior advisor, Hamilton Economic Summit. “We have responded by introducing a post-summit event focused exclusively on young people age 15 to 25.” It will take place at McMaster Innovation Park located in west Hamilton on May 7, 2009. A special committee has been established to organize a day-long experience that delivers on the goal of engaging young people in defining Hamilton’s future and then sharing their ideas with the community at large. The organizing committee believes it is essential to invite young people into the work of planning the event. To this end, the committee is hosting five informal design cafés across Hamilton beginning the week of February 16. Each café will include a brief presentation highlighting numerous aspects of our local economy followed by an open discussion on how young people envisage creating a more vibrant, prosperous and opportunity-rich Hamilton — ideas that will inform the design of the May 7 event. Energetic young people interested in making a difference in our community are encouraged to attend a FREE Design Café offered in various locations on the following dates: Tue Feb 17 Wed Feb 18 Thu Feb 19 Fri Feb 20 Mon Feb 23

The Freeway Cafe The Carnegie Gallery Boston Pizza The Old Powerhouse Restaurant Flamborough YMCA

333 King Street East 10 King Street West 135 Upper Centennial Parkway 21 Jones Street 207 Parkside Drive

Downtown Hamilton Downtown Dundas Upper Stoney Creek Downtown Stoney Creek Waterdown

All cafés run from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm, follow a similar format and include light refreshments. To register, e-mail Patricia at [email protected] specifying your preferred location or call 905-522-1151 x 237 and leave a message. Youth are encouraged to share the opportunity with others and to bring a friend ~ the more participants, the better! In an age when quality of place is a powerful magnet for attracting and retaining top talent, it is essential that metropolitan areas offer what young people increasingly look for in a home community: Connectivity to nature, an aesthetically pleasing built environment, a rich diversity of people and perspectives, and plenty of work opportunities. Says Allen: “Inviting students and youth to document and share their vision of a community they will one day inherit makes good sense.”

Organizing Committee for May 7 Event Richard Allen, Hamilton Economic Summit Christopher Cutler, Path Employment Services …/2

-2Grace Diffey, Hamilton Community Foundation Charlie Hendershott, ArcelorMittal Dofasco Patrick Elliot, Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Jeremy Freiburger, Imperial Cotton Centre for the Arts Norm Grey, Canadian Youth Business Foundation Alice Bradbury, Golden Horseshoe Biosciences Network Lynda Lukasik, Environment Hamilton Matt Thompson, McMaster University The Hamilton Economic Summit is a community initiative facilitated by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and delivered in partnership with the City of Hamilton and the Jobs Prosperity Collaborative. - 30 -

Media Contacts Laura Jackson Communications Coordinator Hamilton Chamber of Commerce [email protected] | 905-522-1151 x 230 Richard Ward Allen Senior Advisor Hamilton Economic Summit [email protected] | 905-572-0363 (cell) NOTE to Editors: The actual Hamilton Economic Summit will take place on Wednesday May 6 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Hamilton. More details will be released shortly. Visit hamiltonchamber.on.ca and click on Hamilton Economic Summit for details.