FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug 11 2026
Hamilton Answered the Call for Unity: Children Cut the Ribbon as Mayor, Councillor and Candidates Come Together in Ward 2
Successful Celebrating Community event brings political leaders, neighbours and families together around a resident-led vision for a safer, happier downtown
HAMILTON, ON – Days after Ward 2 artist and resident Kinga Żak publicly asked Hamilton’s political leaders, “Do you have time for unity right now, when our neighbourhood needs it most?”, the answer arrived at Meridian Co-op on Saturday.
They came.
Mayor Andrea Horwath, Ward 2 Councillor Cameron Kroetsch, mayoral candidates, council candidates, City representatives and community leaders joined residents and families for Celebrating Community, a multicultural community celebration and public mural unveiling created through the City of Hamilton’s Creative Placemaking Grant program.
But when the moment came to cut the ribbon, the politicians didn’t do it.
The children did.
With political representatives gathered together around them, neighbourhood children cut the ribbon on the new mural, turning what had originally been envisioned as a political unity ribbon-cutting into something even more symbolic: adults coming together across political lines while children inaugurated what Zak hopes will be a safer and happier future for downtown Hamilton.
“The kids cut the ribbon around the politicians coming together in unity over concern for the downtown core, the children cut the ribbon on this unity, to inaugurate the safe and happy future for our kids,” said Zak.
The August 8 event brought together an unusually broad cross-section of Hamilton’s civic and political community, including:
Andrea Horwath, Mayor of Hamilton
Cameron Kroetsch, Ward 2 Councillor
Ejaz Butt, 2026 Hamilton Mayoral Candidate
Keanin Loomis, Hamilton Mayoral Candidate
Scarlett Gillespie, Mayoral Candidate
Sasha Austin, Mayoral Candidate
Kelly Oucharek, Ward 2 Candidate and Community Advocate
Olivia “Moy” Fung, Ward 10 City Councillor Candidate
Nathalie Xian Yi Yan
Brian Lewis
Godfred Okyere-Koranteng, Housing Administration Officer, City of Hamilton
Zahid Butt, Associate Professor and member of the Pakistan Canada Business Organization
Musician Martin Verall
MP Ned Kuruc also sent his best wishes and thanked Zak for organizing the event after his office received the invitation too late to schedule his attendance. Aslam Rana is arranging a separate visit to see the mural, and Monica Circiello is expected to send a certificate recognizing the initiative.
The turnout represented a remarkable conclusion to a project that Zak conceived as something much larger than public art.
A Meridian Co-op resident, trained artist and recipient of a City of Hamilton Creative Placemaking Grant, Zak created the original mural concept and sketch as part of her effort to bring beauty, connection and community participation into a downtown neighbourhood confronting very real concerns about safety and its future.
Before the event, Zak described Ward 2 in stark terms:
“Ward 2 is a neighbourhood full of heart, history, and resilience — but walking through it today can sometimes feel like stepping onto the set of an apocalyptic movie except the bullets are real rather than the place we call home. In a moment when election season often highlights differences, this event is choosing unity instead.”
On Saturday, the emphasis was on what residents can create in response.
Families and neighbours gathered for the mural unveiling alongside multicultural performances, music, dancing, children’s entertainment, art and food, with members of Hamilton’s diverse cultural communities participating throughout the celebration.
The mural itself was painted by emerging artist Dallas Hofsten under Zak’s artistic direction. The project provided Hofsten, who has experienced homelessness, with an opportunity to contribute to his first major public mural outside of graffiti.
For Zak, one of the most important lessons from the project is what can happen when resources intended for communities actually reach the people they are meant to benefit.
“We can have happy children when neighbours come together and funding gets to them,” said Zak.
And after successfully bringing together politicians who would ordinarily find themselves on different sides of an election campaign, Zak already has an idea for what Hamilton should try next.
“Next time I would like to see all the politicians dancing together. I think if we danced together we could learn to live together and actually enjoy it.”
For one afternoon in Ward 2, that philosophy became something tangible: politicians came together, neighbours celebrated together, and the children were given the ribbon.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Celebrating Community took place Saturday, August 8 at Meridian Co-op, 185 Ferguson Avenue North in Hamilton.
The community mural was developed through the City of Hamilton’s Creative Placemaking Grant program. Kinga Zak created the original concept and sketch, which were approved by the Meridian Co-op Board of Directors and the City of Hamilton.
The celebration included the mural unveiling, multicultural performances, children’s entertainment, dancing, community art and a neighbourhood barbecue.
Event photography is available for media use.
tracy@lamouriemedia.com
TOMORROW: Mayor Horwath and Hamilton Municipal Candidates to Gather in Ward 2 After Artist’s Call for Unity
What began as Kinga Żaks challenge “Do you have time for unity right now, when our neighbourhood needs it most?” has drawn a major response from Hamilton’s political community
HAMILTON, ON – FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2026 – Tomorrow, Mayor Andrea Horwath, Ward 2 Councillor Cameron Kroetsch and a broad group of Hamilton municipal candidates will gather at Meridian Co-op after Ward 2 resident and artist Kinga Zak challenged the city’s political community to put differences aside and come together for one symbolic act of unity.
Mayor Horwath is scheduled to attend at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, creating a powerful visual moment as elected officials, candidates and community members gather around the unveiling of a new public mural created through the City of Hamilton’s Creative Placemaking Grant program.
The confirmed attendees provided by Zak include:
Mayor Andrea Horwath
Cameron Kroetsch – Ward 2 Councillor
Keanin Loomis – Mayoral Candidate
Scarlett J. Gillespie – Mayoral Candidate
Ejaz Butt – Mayoral Candidate
Kojo Damptey – Candidate
Nathalie Xian Yi Yan – Candidate
Brian Lewis – Candidate
Kelly Oucharek – Candidate
Andrew Selman – Ward 3 Candidate
Esther Pauls – Ward 7 Councillor
Christine Cayuga – Candidate
Eisham Abdulkarim – Candidate, attending as a resident and community member rather than in his capacity as a candidate
The response follows Zak’s invitation to Hamilton’s political community and the question at the centre of the event:
“The question I’m asking every party is simple: Do you have time for unity right now, when our neighbourhood needs it most?”
Tomorrow, Hamilton will get its answer.
Zak, a Meridian Co-op resident and recipient of a City of Hamilton Creative Placemaking Grant, created the mural project against the backdrop of growing concern about safety, uncertainty and the future of downtown Hamilton.
“Ward 2 is a neighbourhood full of heart, history, and resilience — but walking through it today can sometimes feel like stepping onto the set of an apocalyptic movie except the bullets are real rather than the place we call home. In a moment when election season often highlights differences, this event is choosing unity instead.”
Zak developed the original mural concept and sketch, which were approved by both the Meridian Co-op Board of Directors and the City of Hamilton.
But the project was never intended to be simply about creating another piece of public art.
“As the Creative Placemaking Grant artist behind the new mural at Meridian Co-op, I created this project to bring neighbours together, spark healing, and remind us that our community deserves beauty, safety, and connection. For this reason, I’ve invited representatives from all major political parties to join us for a unity ribbon-cutting — a symbolic moment of cooperation across political lines.”
Tomorrow’s celebration will bring political representatives together with neighbours, families, artists, local businesses and members of Hamilton’s Muslim, African, Polish, Afghan, Bengali, Latino and Romani communities.
The event will feature the public mural unveiling, multicultural dance performances, African drumming, salsa and swing dancing, children’s entertainment, outdoor art and a community barbecue.
The mural was painted by emerging artist Dallas Hofsten under Zak’s artistic direction. Hofsten, who has experienced homelessness, received the opportunity through the project to contribute to his first major public mural outside of graffiti.
For Zak, who is preparing to move far away from Hamilton, the response to her call for unity represents what she hoped the project could accomplish.
“I want this be meaningful and symbolic. That is what I care about the most. I am moving far, far away, so tooting my own horn is not that important, but if I can have an impact on the way people think, I like that. I think this is exceptional what we created here in Ward 2. I think it would be beneficial for a wider audience to know what is possible here.”
MEDIA / PHOTO OPPORTUNITY – TOMORROW
Celebrating Community
Saturday, August 8, 2026
12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
KEY MEDIA TIME: 2:30 P.M.
Mayor Andrea Horwath scheduled to attend
Meridian Co-op
185 Ferguson Avenue North
Hamilton, Ontario
Media will have opportunities to capture the mural, Mayor Horwath, elected representatives and candidates, multicultural performances and the community gathering. Kinga Zak is available for interviews.
Media are invited to attend
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