John A. "Jack" MacDonald (1927 – May 5, 2010) was a politician, businessman, and journalist in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He served as Mayor of Hamilton from 1976 to 1980, and wrote a column in the Hamilton Spectator newspaper for many years.
Early life and career
MacDonald was born in 1927 in London, Ontario and moved to Hamilton, Ontario in 1942. At the age of 15 he quit school and at 16 joined the Canadian Navy, becoming a qualified torpedo man. After the Second World War he apprenticed with his father and uncle as a plumber, before starting his own heating and cooling business in 1951. In 1949 he became the youngest alderman ever elected in the City of Hamilton. He was also the youngest person to be elected to public office at that time in Canada. In 1953 he became deputy mayor. He ran for Mayor of Hamilton in 1956 and 1962 but lost.
He was elected citizen of the year in 1972 and ran again for mayor in 1976, this time winning. He was re-elected again in 1978.
Community service
Member of three member Steering Committee, responsible for present Hamilton East Kiwanis Boy's Club. Lt. Governor for District 6, Chairman of the Board of Hamilton East Kiwanis Boy's and Girls Club which provides service to over 3000 boys and girls in Hamilton East. Hamilton East Kiwanis member for over 50 years. Original member of the Board of Kiwanis Homes. Chairman of United Appeal. Volunteer Chairman for United Services. President of Kiwanis Hamilton East 1971. Vice-Chairman of Health Disciplines Board of the Province of Ontario, which deals with five health disciplines throughout Ontario 1973-1976. Life member of YMCA. Chairman, 1976 Fundraiser Campaign to rebuild downtown YMCA. Volunteer Chairman of Grey Cup Festival in Hamilton 1972. Chairman 1970 Keep Football in Hamilton Committee, built North Stands 1972. Awarded the Distinguished Citizen of the Year 1973 for voluntary community work, particularly the Grey Cup Festival. Established the committee which led to the formation of Opera Hamilton. Original Director and Chairman of the Executive Committee for the John G. Diefenbaker Foundation. Awarded the Wright Award for Originality in Housing the Kiwanis Barton Street Project. Honor for Citizenship during the Cities 150th birthday celebrations 1976 and a $40,000.00 bursary named at McMaster. Presented the Fred McAllister Award for 1983. This award is presented annually to one judged the Outstanding Kiwanian in Eastern Canada and the Caribbean. Inducted into the Gallery of Distinction 1993. Received honorary doctorate from McMaster University.
Mayor of Hamilton
MacDonald was a colourful figure in office, and endorsed several large development projects for the city. In 1978, he led the city council into accepting a multimillion-dollar plan for an office tower and convention centre in downtown Hamilton. The plan, which resulted in the Hamilton Convention Centre and the Ellen Fairclough Building above it, was formally endorsed by the provincial government later in the year. He also endorsed a pledge by the federal government to assist in construction of a National Hockey League-sized arena for the city in 1979, and argued that Hamilton deserved a team in the next NHL expansion. In 1980, the city approved an $80 million plan for a football stadium and arena.
In 1979, he approved a freeway construction project which eventually became known as the Red Hill Creek Expressway. MacDonald himself owned a house on the Red Hill Valley, where the highway corridor was slated to run. He was quoted as saying, "I would prefer it in somebody else's backyard but I've got a greater responsibility than that". In 1980, he supported plans by the Hamilton Harbour commissioners to build for an industrial area on the city's Beach Strip. He also encouraged airport expansion and upgrades to the city's transit system.
He was an early supporter of one-tier government for the Hamilton region, and in May 1978 supported a provincial commission report which called for Hamilton to be amalgamated with neighbouring municipalities. This plan was opposed by many in the municipalities, who worried that the city would burden them with financial costs and overwhelm their local identities. The provincial government rejected the one-tier recommendation and MacDonald, in protest, insisted that the province pay the full cost of the commission report.
MacDonald endorsed property tax assessment reform in 1978, noting that the city had lost $1.5 million in appeals the previous year. Conservative in matters of perceived government interference, he opposed plans for mandatory smoke detectors in Hamilton apartments and was openly contemptuous of the city's anti-smoking by-law.