Some fences do not make good neighbours
Ya know, it seems as though we’re writing eulogies about lost architectural gems about once a month. It’s always a reactive anguish as the death fences are erected, as we realize that something that we felt would be with us forever is being threatened for one reason or another. It could come down to a false sense of security on our part (They’ll never tear THAT down!) or just plain laziness. To tell you the truth, I don’t know why we keep bitching the way we do. It doesn’t seem to do any good.
This city is fundamentally flawed when it comes to our self image. We need some serious help, and I don’t know if there’s a shrink in the city with a couch big enough for all of us.
We have fallen out of love with ourselves, and Oscar Wilde believes it is the wrong thing to do. We do not believe we are worthwhile, so we do not demand better. We are happy with the crumbs life gives us because we are filled with hopelessness and sef-loathing. Folks, this city just may be clinicaly depressed.
We really need to rediscover what it was that made us decide Windsor was worthy in the first place. We need to think back to when this city was receptive to our love and attention and figure out what we need to get back there. By figuring out why we are content with self-imposed limitations, we will begin to take those first steps towards lasting change.
“Having a glowing vision of the future helps you tackle the core beliefs about yourself—such as doubts about your own worthiness for success—that have held you back until now. So as you peel back the curtains around your core self, you become ready to tap the source of all change and success—self-love, and forgiveness for past failures.”
So, what does South Windsor think of itself when one of its few identifiable landmark buildings is threatened
with demolition to make room for - you guessed it - more strip mall development? When Ward 3 councilor Fulvio Valentinis states “Not a single representive from the neighbourhood has come forward with an objection saying this is not good for the area,” this tells me that my old neighbourhood has lost its ability to love itself.
Now, here is where I insert a disclaimer of sorts. I fully back any development that makes its host community more walkable and pedestrian friendly. More commercial/retail on this intersection is a positive thing, as it gives residents more retail options they don’t need to get into their car to take advantage of. My objections to the loss of Christ The King church is also in no way wrapped in any religious dogma of any kind.
No, I object to the needless demolition of edifices that make our communities worthy of our love. I bet there are tons of people who love this building. Probaby a heck of a lot more than those who love the strip mall located to the south of it, or even than the strip mall located to the west of it. Maybe the strip mall to the south/west of it conjures up better memories, but I doubt it. Yes, this is strip mall central and it’s easy to speed right by it without nary a glance.
Has anyone ever thought outside the box in instances such as these? Does the term “Adaptive Reuse” mean anything to anyone any more? This neigbourhood landmark, much like the lost BMO building demo’d recently in Walkerville, serves as a gateway into this community. Can you imagine what a developer with vision and respect for the neighbourhood could do with this grand building? Sure, it would cost a lot more, but darn it! We’re worth it. We no longer want to be treated like a bank machine that you withdraw your profits from and leave town immediately. That’s what we need to start screaming from the mountain tops because folks, until we do, we will be stuck with the cheapest monstrosities that developers are able to get past the building inspector.
What I’m saying is this. Until we develop the belief that we’re worth more than these glorified fertilizer factories that are being built in our neighbourhoods, we will continue to lose the buildings worth caring about in favour of them. We will continue to write our eulogies to our past and wonder what we can do to stop it. Until the neighbourhood rises up and demands respect, all our eulogies are for naught.
Tags: adaptive reuse, Architecture, sustainable development, wasted resources
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I agree Chris. Have any of these questions been answered by the planning department?
Has Thom Hunt looked into what image Windsor wants to display not only to itself but to the world?
What message do we want to send to the citizens, business community?
Who are we as a city, as a people?
What is important to Windsor when planning new developments?
I know one of the biggest reasons why Windsor has lost so much of it’s image is because we have, for the most part, developers with little community conscience. They want to make the dollar and do it quickly. These pesky buildings may (or may not) increase the cost of redeveloping sites. And since Windsor already has an inferiority complex (especially with our economy tagged to the automotive industry) we don’t want anyting to impede any “investments”. Yet, it is these “investments” that have caused us to lose our heritage and our image.
I have stated time and again. Visitors aren’t flocking to cities that are relatively new, they go and see fantastic architecture, history where ever it may be in our world. These places also seem to retain their populations, something Windsor has had trouble doing for 40 years!
Unless we help developers (like the Rosati’s development in Walkerville or Valenti Real Estate who rehabbed St. Genevieve and Edith Cavell into lofts) look past the front of their noses we will continue to lose our heritage and history along with our community.
Thanks, Fulvio. People won’t come forward if they have no idea about what is happening! A 1″ announcement in the paper does not inform the entire city, despite what the Windsor Star thinks/says. I think that it’s terrible that the city’s answer for everything is 300,000 people didn’t tell us that they didn’t want it so we went ahead and trashed it.
oops…”300,000 people didn’t tell us that they didn’t want it _gone_ so we…”
It used to take generations of trades people and crafstmen to build a single church. In windsor, however they’re built and then destroyed to rubble within one generation.
It is time that we as a city, as a people start to make better choices.
http://www.upiasia.com/Society_Culture/2008/10/22/time_to_build_a_new_civilization/9948/
so do you suggest starting a petition of some sort? maybe we just need someone banging on the doors of the neighbourhood and pointing out these things out? sometime noise has to be made to get people’s attention and maybe the neighbourhood hasn’t been properly informed.
I live in south Windsor and drive by this church on my way to school. does anyone know if the school next door (looks like a grade school) is still operational and if so is it being demolished as well? it wasn’t fenced in last i checked. and if it isn’t being torn down what are the effects of commercial entities being placed directly next door to a school? i realize each corner at this intersection currently has a strip mall but i’m wondering how the proximity of this one to the school and it’s effects are. just thoughts.
i cringe at the thought of having another parking lot/mini mall at this intersection.
We play volleyball in that school so I think it’s staying there. Good question about location next to the school.
Beautfully written, Chris
Back when I lived in that neighbourhood (about 2 blocks from that church) I actually had a hair-brained idea to buy that church for an adaptive reuse. Alas, at a price tag of $800,000+, it didn’t make sense to purchase the building, let alone the investment that would have been required to bring it anywhere near adaptive reuse.
IMO, that building was priced to force commercial development. No other use (based on my limited knowledge, etc. etc.) would have justified such an expenditure. Of course, in light of the world around us, perhaps not even commercial development will be able to recoup the $800,000 building cost.
PFA,The Roman Catholic Diocese of London is offering Our Lady of the Rosary Church on Riverside Drive at Drouillard Road to the city for $1. I don’t know how much repair work is needed but, I think it would be a great home for a Centre for Social Innovation in Windsor. Talk to Chris about the many great things such a space could accomplish in this city. This church has great potention for adptive reuse. Would you be interested in such a project?
Unfortunately Edwin, we lost PFA to the East Coast siren call a while back. He’s currently a PEIslander with a job as opposed to yet another unemployed Windsorite (like me!)
Wow! Superbly written, Chris. Pieces like this are the reason why bloggers are needed in this community, to inspire from the bottom up. I’m charmed as well by a tale from my folks (who live at Argyle & Devonshire Crt), that when in the 80s a developer wanted to purchase Devonshire Court Park to build homes, neighbouring residents demanded that the city keep the park from being lost. I suppose in certain circles, and in certain areas of this city, there is a large margin of doubt from ’simple’ citizens who picture themselves as unable to influence change. So what is the next step for citizens to assert that their neighbourhoods are worthy of intelligent changes? How do we actually combat the developers who often see buildings as nothing more than roofs over four sticks? And you’re right, we ARE darn worth it!
great article chris! you see, i’m playing in this sand box more and more!
i used to live, and my mom still does right on curry between labelle and grand maris and i have to say that it was already a walkable neighbourhood. aside from groceries, there wasn’t much i needed that i couldn’t get in that intersection. i think we can all agree that the only thing that’s going in this spot is another damn rexall. what with shoppers being a block over.
now like i said, the only thing needed there is groceries….hello; farmers market in the church!?!?!?! then go ahead and EXPAND onto the church if you need to, in an asthetically pleasing manor that reflects the same type of arch. on the church!
at least there are some plans to save those trees on the lot.
The school is still open and is staying put. The develloper met all the condtions asked for by the parents council at the school, and they had no objections.
The fuuny thing was, if you saw the council report, you’ll never guess where the develloper call home?… Yup, LaSalle.
It’s always those that don’t live here or have any stake here other than making a buck off our backs who seem to do the most harm.
If all goes well, we should lose The Prince of Wales School and this Church right around the same time… Ahhh progress.
Speaking of the Walkerville Business Lofts, I had lunch today at the Gourmet Emporium, and the slugs were out there slapping more stucco on that thing. It now looks like a hooker with her face caked with makeup.
We are saying the word “hooker” a lot on this website lately haha
i hope i read that wrong. they’re not stuccoing the GE right? is this another name for the club lofts?
hooker
Andrew needs an interpreter sometimes, Aaron. And it’s good to have you still with us in this sandbox
And thanks everyone for the kudos. I think this ‘hood still has a lot of fond memories for me. I grew up here, ran up to N&D for cigarettes for my mom (when an 8 year old could buy cigarettes for their mothers), spent lots of time at Budimir library and all around just hung out - some times at that street corner.
A Rexal makes sense. They’re pretty much done the one at Cabana and Howard, aren’t they? Time to move on to the next one? ***cough, blight, cough***
I’m just a little sad for this unnatural evolution, that’s all. But if the neighbours don’t care about the quality of their neighbour, who am I to judge them? One day they’ll look back and view this as a monumental mistake!
Is this a case of a strip mall, next to another strip mall, next to another in Windsor? So much for my theory that Windsor will be ok.