South West Detention Centre

View Comments

• Well, Me, by your own logic from those reports, if putting a prison in an area doesn't increase crime or lower property values (and may actually raise property values), then what basis do you have to complain that putting it in the Brighton Beach area is crapping on residents in the far west end? The only argument then is transportation costs. Last time I drove from downtown to the Galaxy Cinema around Costco, it took me over an hour because of the gridlock. Downtown to the racetrack (around the Brighton Beach area) with very little traffic - 10-15 minutes. So, Brighton Beach wins out on lower transportation costs.

• I don't know what happened, but my comment didn't post.
  I like Antun's comment. I think it makes sense. Windsor needs to stop shoe-horning stuff in this area. There is a Canadian Tire, a Home Depot and now a Lowe's in this area. Why doesn't Windsor push for one of those stores in the west end. God knows the west end needs some stores, they don't even have a good supermarket as far as I know (except the A&P on Huron).
  I am not surprised by Mr. Schnurr's report. The government alwasy has stats to support their areas of responsibility. Probably crime and property values wouldn't go down (maybe a little in this area, but not much I am sure). But Windsor has screwed up that area so much, I think it will impact what goes there later.
  Long story short, whether the jail has to go in Brighton Beach is really not the problem...there are other areas, I am sure. This is a gateway to Windsor, right on the 401. I bet it will go there no matter what anyone says at this point, but, it just does not seem like the best location for it. Just my opinion.

• That is what you are basing your argument on a small amount of transportation costs? What kool-aid are you drinking and did Eddie serve it to you?

  Who allowed the Costoc badlands to be bult the way there were? Who allowed even more big box retail to be put in? Who has added even more lights on Walker and Provincial even with a light only 40 feet from another? Want to speed up traffic and get it moving? Remove the amount of stop lights. Those costs differences are minimal and won't add up to much. As I stated before instead of buying more SUV's the police services should be able to find the minor increase it MAY cost to transport the scumbags.

  As for crapping on the west side residents, I would rather it be left natural like it is supposed to be left. We could use more nature in Windsor and the province has stated it is too polluted to begin with.

  Besides, the third crossing is going there and what kind of statement does that show? This location isn't seen from one of the cities gateways but the one in Brighton Beach will be seen for all incoming visitors to Canada.

• So.... let me get this straight.

  People don't want the Walker Road location because it's too close to residents, and yet the Brighton Beach location is the same proximity to... other residents?
  Not to mention that highway improvements are clearly going on already in the Walker Road / 401 area so the upgrade in facilities is there. The argument that future infrastructure might happen at Brighton Beach to accomodate this (I'm personally not totally convinced) does not slide with me. I also think that the Brighton Beach "services" if there are any left would be so neglected and degraded that they might as well start from scratch anyways - moot point, even steven.

  So... neither of the sites are "good enough" for the NIMBYS - where then?

  Also, Antun, your residents are fighting the sprawl out there?? Fine job you've done there.

• Keep in mind while reading stats prepared for or paid by the same group who prefers a positive spin on things (read "spin doctors") it's no surprise that the stats will show what they want to help their cause. But it doesn't take away from the reality that certain institutions do have a place where they "fit" in the context of their purpose - court system / security / land use /infrastructure.

  An elected official once quoted at a public meeting after changing his mind and reversing a project once started that "You can get statistics to support whatever you want just pay the right person and "voila" you now have a pretty set of stats mostly believable but perhaps flawed in many ways.

  So, is this really a relocation of a Windsor Jail or not? If so then it matters not to the Windsor residents where it goes because it will be state of the art. If this is a provincial facility then along with the new 401 connection the the new Brighton Beach proposed bridge to the USA one could argue that this could easily become a part of that master plan.

  Either way, both Windsor and the province could work out the deal to make this happen so most residents (except for a few posted here) would be proud to be a part of the territory known as the City of Windsor ( all the way from West Windsor to East Windsor including the South of Windsor.

• Lori, unfortunately, the official plan amendment I spoke of ended at the border of the annexed lands area, that would be the Seventh Concession. I don't like what went on at Walker Rd., but most of it, particularly the forest that was cut down to make way for Home depot, happened so fast without notice that even the city couldn't do much about it.
  All this hard talk about NIMBYs etc., doesn't really do much for Windsor. The truth is that there is a concerted effort in the "Sandwich South" area to get more green space and proper development, including trying to stop another big box (WalMart) site from going up on 7th Concession. That worked because of the lack of services.
  Keep in mind that the plan to get services for this area was 17-20 years out. What development means here is leapfrogging all the other areas without service and spending a tonne of money to get services there. Again, very poor planning.
  Also, I agree with Jen, that Andrew's message that the escape route is between 3-4 km away makes no sense. Go straight back and see how far that is. In any case, escape is not teh issue.
  Finally, Brighton Beach is really not on the table. There are many areas of Windsor to consider (for example the Airport Lands on Lauzon Parkway that have immediate access to the Expressway), but the immediate concern is that this is not the right spot.
  You can get as nasty as you want about the residents, but at least they are trying to do something positive. To ME, I whole-heartedly agree that the West end needs more positive development...some of those duplicate stores on Walker, for example.

• You know I have posted several comments on here, and they haven't appeared. So much for objectivity, Mr. Moderator.

• You know I have posted several comments on here, and they haven't appeared. So much for objectivity, Mr. Moderator.

• Now I have been blocked as spam. Again, thanks for the objectivity. Interesting website, but clearly not interested in allowing both sides of an argument.

• To Terry2: NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) is not intended to be inflamatory in any way. In fact the term was initiated within this issue by the affected area residents themselves. As for the bloggers who are covering this, they were on top of it before the traditional media. They have researched and delivered not only more information but also more accurate information than the local media. They are also responsible for digging out the facts and information which the city administration has, thus far, failed to provide. Don't forget that blogs provide forums such as this one as well. Everybody gets to contribute. Where would this issue have been without them? Schnurr's blog postings on this matter ARE a good place to get some well researched and balanced information. He asks and answers a lot of questions. WindsorCityBlog has chimed in as well.
  http://windsorcityon.blogspot.com/2008/11/more-and-more-stories.html Follow the links provided by ME above. There is a lot of emotion riding on this development which is starting to give the impression that the real issue is not so much the new jail but rather the infringment of the city on this relatively rural beachhead.