Downtown Windsor – Part IV

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• i wish i took photos like this when i used to live downtown in the mid 80s, or hang out downtown with my family in the 70s.

  i feel like pretty soon, the few places i like to go to downtown will be gone, then i'll never return again. i still enjoy the coffee exchange, basil court, ray and kims convenience, milk... but place i love keep disappearing. i loved it a lot more when i lived down there around 1985. record stores all over. a radio shack i could get parts at. birks where i could buy fancy gifts. epps where i could get docs. arcades i would play at after school. biway where i would buy blank tapes to record cjam, wdtx, and wdet. so many shops... all gone now.

• I was very saddened when the Book Mark closed it’s door, that place was like a legacy downtown, it had been there so many years. Everyone went there!! I remember as a child, being taken there, and being allowed to by my books on Star Trek…LOL…it was part of my allowance…what can I say…I was a kid!! It’s been so long since I’ve actually walked downtown, I hadn’t even noticed there was another book store open, so that is definitely on my list of to do one sunny afternoon. Andrew thanks for pointing that out!! The 500 building was probably magnificent in its hay day, wish we had some pictures of it back then. What was the original building for? Honestly, I think having a street car re introduced from say Wyandotte to the river would be an excellent idea, what a neat way from people to get to and from, I mean I know it’s not like it’s un walkable, but I really think it would bring something neat, and unique to our downtown.
  Darren your right, I remember going down town a lot as a kid also…the Bi-way was where I did all my Christmas shopping…and wasn’t there a Shoppers Drug mart too next to Big Boy…or where Big Boy used to be? Dr. Disc was another favorite I’d go to, to get the latest jams…it sad when you think about it, as it was only 10-15 years ago, the core has continually been ignored, and now we are at a point where it’s almost a total right off. As people have mentioned, it’s almost to the point where we have to wipe the slate clean, and start again. I sure hope we do it right this time.

• Andrew, The $10 per foot rent rate probably includes common fees which could be between $5 and $7 of that number. Common fees being prop taxes, insurance and other fixed costs.

  Like I mentioned before, the common fees are higher than the rents. The freezing of property taxes is a large contributor to the vacancies.

  Betty Wilkonson sent a letter saying that she would be leaving at the end of the season if the 3am closing bylaw was not instituted. She is frustrated by that and by the delay and overbudget situation streetscape is in.

  Betty said she will not go quietly (I love her spirit) and plans to hold one more maiden lane fair date TBA. Not only can you support her by patronage at her store but you can call your councillor and demand that they support the 3am closing to try to convince her to stay.

• An interesting article in the Toronto Star today...

  http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/345315

  This would certainly draw Americans back into our Casino...

• I would like to see more on street parking on Ouellette and I think both the patios, which I find are a great asset to downtown, and on-steet parking can be accomodating.

  Mark, I am puzzled? Why would a property tax freeze help with vacancies? Less taxes would make it easier to rent a vacancy shouldn't it? But again it is the mill rate that is unacceptable. As I stated previously the rent rates in T.O. are about the same as Windsor! But could it be that insureance in Windsor is much higher due to the vandalism caused by the kids coming and shitting on our city (local one's as well) for their weekend "fun".

• "Look at old postcards, our streets were far busier, we had parking on both sides of the street as well as two pairs of street car tracks down the middle. I say we pull back the sidewalks and reintroduce on-street parking. "

  ---- don't forget the streetcar tracks! -thats part of the formula too! even our heritage!

• The core is what people make it.

  While I have said I ultimately have to go the mall or out of town to find things I need, I still frequent downtown - if only for a coffee or to people watch.

  But how many Windsorites come downtown on a regular basis? It's far easier for most to go to Tecumseh or the suburbs.

  Who are the downtown's biggest clients? Youth. So naturally, businesses that cater to that demographic will spring up. (The Schwarma's, the bars etc.).

  Downtown's evolve. Their purpose changes. It won't happen overnight either. My hometown of Sarnia killed their downtown with a mall in the core. Now, 20 years later, it is only beginning to recover. Why? They are increasing population density in the core.

  But if the downtown is so important to people, people need to make it their first destination.

  While I don't doubt people commenting here frequent downtown, the rest of Windsor needs to jump on board. Whether its for a coffee, a stroll along the river or dinner at one of the resaturants - to turn it around, we need to change our behaviours and support our own first (if we can).

  Absolutely, policy decisions at City Hall are far from helping. But we can do much more than any policy at city hall.

  Just my two cents.

• I would disagree with the shaving off of the sidewalk -- though empty because the downtown is in a major slump, Windsor's main drag (redone in the late 80s?) was ahead of the curve and what cities are often trying to do. Toronto just did it on College between Bathurst and Spadina -- after lots of urging and lobbying by area residents and activists. When people move back to the core in XX number of years, that space will be full and Windsor will be glad they have it.

  Cars parked on the sidewalk do create a buffer from the traffic, which is an upside of their presence.

  Why did Windsor ban patios? Was it too many kiddie bars? Patios are what cities do. Here, Europe, everywhere. Even the cold countries. Two weeks ago I was in Ireland and people were jammed on the patios when the temp hit 12C. Bring the patios back.

• When considering Windsor's downtown oif the 70s and the 80s, it might be useful to recall the mayors of that era, Frank Wansbrough (1970-74) and Bert Weeks (1975-85), both were Ouellette Avenue merchants.

• RWS - by that token Wyandotte St. & Louis should be the cat's ass.