FlamboroughToday received the following letter in response to Hamilton funds 200 A/C-units for vulnerable residents:
Over the last number of years, it has been expected that everybody would have air-conditioning in their home. When I grew up, it was rare for anybody to have an air conditioner in the 1950s and '60s and somehow we survived.
The claim that air conditioners are needed now because things are getting much warmer is really not a true statement. Doing a little research on temperature over the last eight decades reveals no such thing. The warmest in Hamilton over the last 80 years was between 1940 and 1950 where there was an average of 26 days over 30C with the highest high recorded temperature of 38.9. The highest temperature ever recorded in Hamilton was in 1868 at 41°C
The next warmest decade was from 1950 to 1960 with an average of 23 days per year over 30C. The next two warmest decades were 1980 to 1990 and 2010 to 2020 with an average of 20 days over 30°. The years 2000 to 2010 saw an average of 19° above 30 Celsius. In 2019 there were no days over 30°. This is the only time this happened in the whole 80-year span.
The decade from 1970 to 1980 and 1990 to the year 2000 saw an average of 18 days over 30°C. The decade from 1960 to 1970 saw an average of 17 days over 30. Last year we only had 12 days over 30°C, and a high of 33.1, well below average. The data comes from the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
It is unfortunate that many people suffer without air conditioning because they cannot afford it, but claiming that temperatures are increasing in Hamilton should not be the reason to now provide free air conditioning. Maybe it is possible for some charity to step up and source air conditioning units for people suffering the most from the heat. The City has no money, we can’t even get homes built for people living in tents.
City council seeks to solve many problems facing them. They need to back off from many new initiatives and projects until they can get the city’s finances under control.
Gary Aikema
Flamborough
