What do YOU want to see in our downtown?
Over on Chris Schnurr’s blog, he reposted some questions that the city of Fresno, CA are asking thier residents as it pertains to the revitalization of their downtown. I loved it, and wanted to repost it here to get some feedback from the SD community. Answer their questions for Windsor…
A community that plans together stands together
I won’t take credit for this maxim – credit goes to the City of Fresno – but I felt it had great relevence to the ongoing debate regarding downtown revitalization – marred by years of political tinkering – in my opinion.
Fresno asked it citizens four not so simple questions regarding their downtown:
- If you could choose one location in the downtown where investment should be targeted, where would it be? Why?
- What is the single most important barrier to more people coming downtown?
- What do you think would give downtown a competitive advantage over other regional shopping centers, such as Fig Garden, River Park, or Fashion Fair?
- What do you think you can do personally to start the movement downtown? What is preventing you from starting that?
On a separate note, you will find that my posting schedule is rather slow over the course of the next few weeks. After being called back from layoff, and moving to a plant with no internet access on the plant floor, I find myself with precious little time to devote to online daydreaming. Bear with me, as I’m sure my blogging brethren will pick up the slack in my (short) absense.
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City Centre West Lands IE: bring more residents to LIVE downtown.
No retail! (Well, for Mark, very little retail).
Incentives for businesses (it is hogwash that incentives can’t be given to locate there) to locate there and guidelines for buildings with the city’s help.
I am already doing it but I am getting tired….Other than that I shop downtown when I can and I do, believe it or not, promote downtown as much as possible. But some BAR owners and businesses along with some land owners make it very difficult to convey that message at times.
Just wanted to add. Look at this link and tell me why things such as this aren’t done downtown in such a grandiose idea? Why do we settle for crumbs for our downtown, then it goes over budget (how and why when so little is done?).
From those awful benches downtown, to those scraggly locust trees, to the ugly steretlights all using the same bland “colours” of grey, taupe, brown and darker grey. Add in stucco and it’s a recipe for pure ugliness that matches most cities.
Ask yourself do we want to be different or be the exact same as everyone else?
http://www.windsorstar.com/travel/country+ambiance+Erie+Street+planned/1933044/story.html
Bravo to Erie St and their fortitude to be different.
Dave, I love competition. I think the great work that the DWBIA, DRA and others are doing downtown is motivating others. Hopefully this wonderful concept for Erie street moves the mark to an even higher level.
Downtown needs an identity. Hopefully the plan for Erie Street will go through; it’d be great to see the “old country” theme attract people to that section of the city, and to draw in tourists.
As for the four questions…
Where should the money be thrown? Incentives for shop owners would be a good idea. And a new “attraction” that isn’t directly related to sports. I think it’d be great to see an aquarium down there, or maybe even something that highlights Windsor’s history- like a sweet auto museum, or an “international centre” of some sort, something that shows off Windsor’s uniqueness, regarding our relationship with Detroit. Their downtown is in the dumps too, and you know what they say. Two city budgets are better than one!
Why don’t people go downtown? Hmmm… I think it’s because there’s nothing to do except gamble and drink! There is nothing really for kids, or older folks… no real reason to visit the core on a Saturday afternoon (except for the farmer’s market, but there needs to be more)!
What would give downtown an advantage over other shopping centres? Not having to drive to spend some time in the city could be a great advantage. To that end, we need to promote public transit- get people out of their cars and walking/riding to where they want to go. And make it seem like less of an “inconvenience”. A complete change of attitude, which might take a while! And making a shopping trip a beautiful thing (with nicely scaped streets and a fabulous view of the D skyline), instead of a view of a humongous parking lot and a humongous square building. Big box stores are UGLY. And why would we want to spend time in ugly places?
What can I do, as an individual? Just staying positive is a start. That’s what my blog is all about, anyways- the positive things that happen to me in Windsor. Apart from that, we can lobby our council, talk to our neighbours, support local businesses, get involved with organizations that promote the core… and just… spend time in the downtown area. Put some energy into it, and somethings bound to happen.
This is a great little survey that I think, if answered by more Windsorites, could create some positive action. I’ll post it on my blog and see what my circle has to say!
“Downtown needs an identity.”
Good luck with that. If you look at the Official Plan, the downtown includes just about everything short of industrial uses (I think). It’s a residential place. It’s a commercial place. It’s an entertainment place. It’s a place with a waterfront park. It’s a place of government offices. It’s a family destination. And so on and so on.
With so many different uses, it will be next to impossible to create an identity. It wasn’t so long ago that downtown was the “City Centre”. Downtown needs a focus before it needs an identity.
“Not having to drive to spend some time in the city could be a great advantage. To that end, we need to promote public transit- get people out of their cars and walking/riding to where they want to go.”
Disagree. People in Windsor have a strange concept of what constitutes “traffic”. As a former resident of Toronto, I can tell you that Windsor does not have a traffic problem. It takes me 10 to 15 minutes to drive from Fontaineblue to downtown. It would take at least 30 minutes by Windsor Transit - and I have a bus stop right across the street from my house.
The DWBIA created a Districting plan and a Downtown Mosaic to deal with the fact that Downtown is so many things
These districts are natural identies of what Downtown is and how we envision it.
They include the Avenue (Ouellette) - A main Street
The Arts - Area bounded by University, Riverside, Ouellette which includes
the Capital theater, Chrysler Theater, Art Gallery.
The Avenue South - More of a Younger Entertainment district
Pelissier Street Village - already an urban village this is targetted for
residential support businesses such as pharmacy, convenience stores that
include some hardware and groceries. Artist Work/Live spaces
The square - charles clark Square, City Hall Square, the casino
Thats 5 distinct and unique identies for our downtown. A strategy that has been recommended and endorsed by officials from the International Downtown Association.
The DWBIA worked extremely hard on this plan and it would be a shame if it didn’t get implemented. Unfortunately the last Chair of the DWBIA did not believe in this strategy and has not actively promoted it. I’m hoping the Current Chair and Vice Chair are more supportive as well as the Executive Director.
Must be the Ottawa 4 bus route, it is the longest, snakiest,most boring bus route in the city! My advice, pack a lunch when on that route or at least carry water with you! It truly fits the phrase, you can’t get there from here! Or vice versa!
I believe they filmed an episode of survivor guy on that bus route!!!
Kari, go to the http://downtownwindsor.ca/enewsletter_signup.php
website and subscribe to the weekly newsletter. You’d be very suprised what there is to do downtown.
Hallelujah and Amen your opinion of
I personally, would like to see a spaceship on the waterfront. It would… oh wait, we already have one.
A new central library/community museum/municipal archives/cultural centre, connecting or creating synergies with the Art Gallery of Windsor, Windsor Symphony, Capitol Theatre, St. Clair Centre for the Arts, School of Visual Arts/School of Music, a new combine Public/Separate High School of the Arts are true Third Place for the people of Windsor.
Hardware store, a medium size grocery store,
I would like to see the adult entertainment parlours, and the “rub and tugs” be outlawed. It would make walking and enjoying the downtown core with my young daughter a possibility.