It was a tough year for the mayor, city councillors and rail-based public transit, a lucky one for owners of an heirloom stuffed rabbit, and a huge Grey Cup disappointment for the Ticats.

The year 2019 will also be remembered for the lingering smell and the reluctant revelation of 24-billion litres of sewage being dumped on Cootes Paradise. The combined sewer overflow definitely hit the fan over that one, as witnessed by the deluge of angry letters to the editor to The Spectator.

Here is a list of the ten biggest stories from 2019 in no particular order:

1. Sewergate: Who's in charge here? | John Rennison/The Hamilton Spectator file photo

1) Sewergate — On Nov. 21, The Spectator revealed that city councillors had been keeping secret a report that calculated 24-billion litres of sanitary and storm sewage had been dumped on Chedoke Creek between Jan. 28, 2014, and July 18, 2018. The environment ministry continues to investigate a colossal sewer system foul-up involving two gates in the underground network.

2) LRT cancellation — Just in time for Christmas, Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney came to Hamilton on Dec. 16 to announce the province was pulling the plug on LRT in Hamilton because of rising costs. The project was originally pegged at $1 billion, but Mulroney claimed revised estimates brought it closer to $5.5 billion. Yet many are doubting the provincial numbers and more recently Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger has come under fire for not disclosing the cost escalation warnings he heard back in September. Meanwhile, the province says it is willing to spend $1 billion on non-LRT public transit in Hamilton.

3) Pride violence — June's Pride event at Gage Park erupted in violence with anti-LGBTQ demonstrators clashing with masked counterprotesters. Police officers were criticized for their handling of the donnybrook, leading to an ongoing independent review. Meanwhile, weekly clashes between "yellow-vest" protesters and counterprotesters outside city hall have led to accusations the city is soft on hate groups.

4) Bernier protest — A fundraiser for the People's Party of Canada that hosted party leader Maxime Bernier boiled over with a series of altercations at Mohawk College on Sept. 29. Several people were charged, and a video of an 81-year-old woman with a walker being harassed by protesters went viral. A backlash spilled over against the parents of one of the protesters who own a Syrian restaurant in Toronto. Amid death threats, the restaurant temporarily closed.

5. Red Hill inquiry: Unsafe at any speed? | Barry Gray/The Hamilton Spectator file photo

5) Red Hill inquiry — In February, residents learned about a troubling safety report about the slippery asphalt on the Red Hill Valley Parkway that had remained hidden for five years. During the time the report was kept under wraps, there were around 200 collisions with injuries, including four fatal ones, on the parkway. A judicial inquiry is now underway, which is expected to cost at least $2 million. The city is also facing the prospect of a $250-million class-action lawsuit.

6) Musitano attempted murder — In April, notorious Hamilton mobster Pat Musitano was shot several times — including in the head — outside his Mississauga lawyer's office. He suffered life-threatening injuries but survived. The incident came amid a resurgence in Mafia violence in the Hamilton area in recent years, including Musitano's St. Clair home being sprayed with bullets on June 27, 2017. And in May of that year, brother Angelo Musitano was killed when he was shot in the driveway of his Waterdown home.

7) Ticats choke — After a storybook, franchise-record season of 15 wins, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats took on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Grey Cup, greatly favoured to win. But the Ticats were never really in the game, losing 33-12. Winnipeg forced seven turnovers, including three in the first quarter leaving Ticat fans with only fading memories of the team's last cup victory in 1999.

8) Dale King found not guilty — A controversial jury verdict in November found Dale King acted in self-defence in the shooting death of unarmed Yosif Al-Hasnawi, and determined he was not guilty of second-degree murder. King said he believed his then-best friend James Matheson was about to be stabbed. Al-Hasnawi, a 19-year-old Brock University student who had been described by police as a "Good Samaritan," was with his family at a Main Street East mosque, and chased the pair after he was punched in the head during a confrontation.

9) Hamilton airport woes — Grounded Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplanes caused havoc in Hamilton with Norwegian Air announcing in August that it was axing its lone Hamilton to Ireland route because of uncertainty about the future of the aircraft. Meanwhile, passengers were left stranded with numerous Swoop flights into and out of Hamilton this year because of a series of "unscheduled maintenance" and other complications.

10. Bunny found: Happy landings | Courtesy Patti Cervoni

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10) Bunny found — Owners of Bunny, a stuffed toy rabbit, went public hoping someone might find the family keepsake that tumbled out of a Second World War Lancaster bomber during a November flight. For 25 years, the toyhad been a good luck mascot for the Maginnis of Toronto. Amazingly, within a couple of weeks, Bunny showed up on the roof of the CAMA Woodlands long-term care home in Burlington — a little cold, but unharmed.

mmcneil@thespec.com

905-526-4687 | @Markatthespec