Olympians realize execution is more important
I’m writing this late night, so excuse me if my thoughts come out jumbled
I see the new Windsor West idea of an olympic pool, I see the first comments supporting and opposing and added my own. (the basis for this post)
People will support and condemn so easily, whats frustrating is they make up their minds before presented with all the information.
I believe that all these plans can succeed and they also can all fail. The execution is more important than the actual idea.
People still argue over the downtown arena, what they don’t realize is that a Comerica park would succeed, as it is one of North America’s best arena’s. While at the same time, Joe Louis is a miserable failure, its blank walls deterring any development in the area surrounding it. So are arena’s good? yes if they’re Comerica park, No if they’re Joe Louis arena.
Whatever the scheme, I recommend reading the canal feasibility study, I lays down the conditions for success of any attraction.
Will we allow boarded up homes to surround the area like we do with Caesars Windsor? (how despicable is it that the entrance of the parking garage shares a view with so many boarded up homes). Will we acknowledge that the area across University is one of Windsor’s highest crime area if not the highest.
Will we create conditions for spin off development?
The city only owns 4-5 acres. Are we prepared to build another parking garage? Whats the projected income of that garage?
Anyone who supports or opposes this plan without considering these questions has another agenda
Post Feedback
I’ve said the same thing about the area that surrounds Caesars. It’s embarrassing when I tell people from out of town to come to Windsor, and they go to the Casino and see boarded up houses across the street.
I still wish the city would consider doing something similar to “The Kansas City Power & Light District” with the Western Super Anchor land. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_City_Power_%26_Light_District
One of this biggest disappointments in the WFCU deal (aside from the fact the thing can’t support itself like so many arts and cultural attractions are expected to) is the fact that three neighbourhoods lost an arena /recreational opportunity they could walk to.
I hope that if this is the project that actualy gets built, we don’t lose our neighbourhood pools and rec centres in the hope that this new silver bullet will serve the entire city.
Yeah,there’s so many issues here.
Obviously there’s gonna be a lot of difficult choices to make with the forced austerity that is coming our way.
This attraction smacks of a great wolf lodge which the private sector balked at building downtown years ago. I don’t see how the numbers can be wrong for a great wolf lodge but right for this attraction.
I guess the loss of the neighborhood facilities will need to be addressed through public transit and the programming of the spaces we have now.
If I were a betting man I think the city center west location for such a facility is a red herring. Gord Henderson’s article seems to direct you to the theory that the facility will be built on a purchased zalev property
If done right, I support the idea of a recreation and community centre in the Western Anchor. However, I can’t say I’m all that informed.
Windsor has heard about the need for an olympic sized pool for many years now - The Rotary pool at Atkinson park was originally planned to be olympic sized with a dive tank, and it was built in the 50s. Competetive swimmers have to go to Michigan, and we can’t host competitions here in Windsor.
But, how many competitions would we be holding?
Is there a need for an aquatic recreation complex in this area? Does the downtown YMCA have a pool? How far away is waterworld? How far away is Adie Knox?
If other community features are incorporated, such as meeting rooms, a gymnasium, a fitness room, and a library, there could be cost savings. Stakeholders such as the university and st. clair college could be involved - the University fitness gym isn’t the best, and St. Clair has students downtown that don’t have easy access to facilities.
If a library is to be included in the site, is it going to be an up-to-date, modern library? We are now in a digital age with digital lending. Beyond book storage, modern libraries are offering conference rooms, recording and broadcast studios, as well as shops and cafes. What about other partnerships? With the AGW, the downtown windsor museum, and of course the woodcarvers museum. How about partnerships with the Multicultural Council? I am not a librarian, but I am sure that someone more informed than me could chime in on this.