South West Detention Centre
Yesterday morning happened to be the third and final of the public open house/information sessions in Windsor in the initial phase of the new Windsor Jail a.k.a. the South West Detention Centre .
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="400px" width="1000px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
I asked the people there, if the roof in the concept was a Green Roof, and if they were planning on making the structure as energy efficient as possible. They told me, while there are no final plans, they would like a Green Roof, and to follow some LEED guidelines if possible.
This is a great chance to build a showpiece of modern architecture in this city. Rather than fighting the province over the location, which is away from 98% of the population of the City of Windsor, we should be fighting the province to build it properly.
Let’s fight for a Green Roof
Let’s fight for Solar Panels
Let’s fight for Rainwater recycling
Let’s fight for a LEED structure
This constant bickering is embarrassing, and it’s no wonder that the province never listens to Windsor.
The site has been selected off the 8th Concession near the 401, in the middle of nowhere, and the Environment Assessment process is scheduled to be underway from November, 2008 to March, 2009.
So, after listening to NIMBY tears for the last several weeks, I decided to investigate the site of the new jail this morning for myself. As you can see the location is in the middle of nowhere.
Concerned NIMBY’s have taken to spray painting the sign “Help Eddie” & “No Jail”
An aerial view of the immediate area. There is a soccer club immediately south, and along the 8th concession a handful of homes, as well as two oddly located residential streets (one of which – Joy Rd. is visible at the top).
Other that what 100 people? There is next to no residential in the area. It seems to me we couldn’t ask for a better location for the new jail.
Despite the best attempt at fear mongering by the local media, saying the new jail is to be located at Walker Rd. and the 401, as you can see it’s not.
We all know the biggest fear everyone has is that if there is a jail break that the Costco or one of the other big box stores will be robbed. So I took a scientific study and charted the two possible escape routes to Costco from the new jail. As you can see, the closest route is still over 3.5 km away. 🙂
Honestly though, it was embarrassing sitting in that room yesterday listening to the NIMBY’s speak with raised voices to the representatives from Correctional Services.
I haven’t never heard so many ill formed, inarticulate opinions spoken so loudly in public since the Enwin water rate meetings.
It’s a shame that this is the face Windsor’s puts out to the province.
**[EDIT] I forgot to add that if you have any comments, one way or the other, you can send them along though the website, which can be found at: http://ontario.ca/swdc. Don’t forget that even if you agree with the proposed location, you should let the Ministry know. I’m sure they’re hearing all the NIMBY negative comments, but they also need to hear from those who think this is a good location.
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View Comments
Jen - True WCF has been out there a while., But once the area started its uncontrolled sprawl the church expanded.
Big box religion with the big box stores. A match made in heaven ;)
Chris - I agree with you, that something's up. If it's not then why push forward with the mis-information about the location. There is some kind of agenda at play.
Exactly, Chris, where would we be without the blogs? Andrew constantly scoops the mainstream media to the story (top hat, seagrave, BMO building, et al) They (the Star) take notice as well, believe me. In many ways, the local indie news sites run more interesting and topical local news stories and have better OpEd stuff than the Star. They are even "influenced" by some of the topics we cover....
...and that is a totally unbiased opinion ; )
The secondary plan shows a new road which will go from Walker through to the eighth concession south of the Christian Fellowship and north of the new Jail.
It's great to see that someone has started a blog to air everyone's personal opinion and at times it is really difficult to keep an open mind when people spout off about how great something is when they are so far away from the potential problem area. Oh yea easy to say you live next door but on a blog you can pretty much say anything and get away with it. So I will say that it would not surprise that I ( a NIMBY - as a number have called those in the SWDC area ) believe most who will be in favour of this proposed site live elsewhere and have nothing else better to do than make derogatory comments about those who are trying to get the proper information about something that they may have just found out about. One needs to at least appreciate that many people are very busy today trying to hold jobs, take care of family and at times extended family. So don't be too harsh in your assessment of people who get a bit excited and raise their voices a bit at theses so-called information sessions.
I was one who raised my voice a little to try to get my point out over the background chatter but from everything I heard at the info session seemed to indicate that this is and will be a large "institutional" centre which as many pointed out really does not belong in this area of Windsor if it will serve the Windsor Justice System. There is a new highway infrastructure in the works to accommodate the bridge traffiic as well as a new bridge in the Brighton Beach area. So it makes great sense to place a facility of this type in this location as it will (or could be planned ) have access to the 401, be surrounded by mainly industry, and the area certainly needs development (perhaps of a "green" type). If some people believe that this is such a good boon for the Windsor area then it might be time to help the Sandwich West area in its bid to improve itself. Certainly the tax dollars can't hurt.
In an effort to be better informed.............
Has anyone heard any specific reasons (other than more costly) as to why Brighton area not pursued?
Interesting to see that these same people who don't want to be called NIMBY's or state that "those who don't live in the area want the facility there" have no problem placing it in Brighton Beach LESS THAN 1/2KM AWAY from RESIDENTS.
I guess it is o.k. for the west end to eat shit for all of Windsor like it has for 50 years but not o.k for the "new" south, south Windsor. Now I understand...
I spoke with a friend about this and she said that the main reason they don't want it in Brighton Beach was because there is too much pollution out there and it would be too close to truck traffic. Reading ME's comment, I wonder what the province has to say about the residents living in that area, if they are trying to protect the prisoners so much. Seems like prisoners have more rights than residents.
Also, I think, based on Andrew's map, there are residents that live within 1/2km of this site and the sprawled commercial area is within 1 km.
Finally, I don't think that the Star has an agenda in this case. There seems to have been a lot of confusion at the start. But, realistically the actual site is about 500m-1km from the Walker/Provincial intersection.
I don't think this site makes sense. Maybe there is some agenda..more likely from the developers who own the land.
I thought I would add this compliments of Mr. Schnurr. These are facts people, not emotional arguements. That is what is needed to be discussed.
Please see the underlined sentences....it is only 3 pages.
http://chrisschnurr.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/jailsiteselection.pdf
Mr. Schnurr's excellent website can be found at:
http://chrisschnurr.wordpress.com/
Jen, why doesn't the site make sense? Please see my above post and visit Mr. Schnurr's site. It will be a real eye opener for those that are opposed.
But I agree with you on Brighton beach and the far west side. As I have stated before, since it has been Windsor's toilet for decades no one gives a crap about those residents.
ME, I am not surprised by Mr. Schnurr's paper. Any government agency will have stats to support their cause...I don't always buy the reports.
But, I like Antun's argument. It seems to make sense. Windsor has made such a mess of this area I think we would all agree. I don't think that the jail will have a huge negative impact on property or crime (though I think there will be some in that area), but it just seems like Windsor is shoe-horning in everything and anything they can fit here. I don't know about Brighton Beach, but putting a jail there will limit what else goes there. Just my opinion.
With all respect to the west end, maybe this wouldn't be such a bad idea out there. I mean, the west end definitely needs some stores (I don't think there is even a good supermarket other than A&P on Huron). Why don't some of the stores on Walker go on the west end...or duplicate them. I mean there is a Canadian Tire, a Home Depot and a Lowe's in this one area. Why doesn't Windsor encourage development like this in the west end more.
Again, maybe the jail would be better out there and encourage some more development to help the local residents.