Ahead of council vote, business group pushes City of Windsor's downtown revitalization plan

With its posters, petition and an appeal for the public to become delegates at city council, the Our Downtown campaign in Windsor's core has the appearance of a grassroots citizens' movement.

But the campaign's partners include the City of Windsor, Windsor police, the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association and other local institutions.

The campaign is aimed at building support for the city's proposed $3.2-million Downtown Windsor Revitalization Plan.

"This is our moment. It's got to happen," said Chris MacLeod, chair of the DWBIA and chair of the specifically conceived Downtown Windsor Business Revitalization Association, which is leading the campaign. "If we don't take this step forward, we're going in the wrong direction.

"We just want to get as many people as we can... to come out to council, tell council that it's important. That's why we're looking to spread the word."

The plan goes before city council next Monday — about three weeks after Mayor Drew Dilkens unveiled it to the public.

It promises investments and improvements in seven categories: safer streets, higher property standards, "wrap-around" relief programs, encouraging downtown housing and business, making it easier to hold downtown events, better downtown marketing, and creation of a stakeholder discussion table.

Among the details are the hiring of 12 additional police officers to expand the downtown patrol team, deploying a "mobile lighting and camera unit," and dedicating three bylaw enforcement officers to the downtown area.

The Our Downtown website (strengthenthecore.ca) urges members of the community to sign a petition that will be presented to council.

"By signing this petition, you're not just endorsing a vision," the campaign states. "You're declaring your commitment to a strong, more connected community."

As of 6 p.m. Wednesday, the petition had garnered 822 online signatures.

Earlier this week, DWBIA executive director Debi Croucher issued an open letter asking people to sign up as delegates to speak in support of the plan at Monday's council meeting.

"If you want to see downtown revitalized, here's what you can do to help," Croucher wrote. "The time is now to do something to save our downtown. This is our chance to make a difference."

Extraordinary measures are already being taken to make the plan a reality. The additional spending for the plan will require council to re-open the recently finalized 2024 municipal budget — an amendment process that's different now under the mayor's new provincial powers.

It's been calculated that property taxes will need to rise by 0.7 per cent city-wide to afford the plan.

Ward 3 Coun. Renaldo Agostino, who has been vocal about his support for the plan, feels it's unfair to characterize the plan in political terms.

"We're trying to resurrect our downtown here, right?" Agostino said. "Do you wait? Is that something you say to your businesses downtown that are hanging on by a thread? 'I'm sorry, we can't address this right now — it's May. You're gonna have to wait until January or February next year.'

"That's not right. You know that's not right. We need help now. This gives us the ability to address this right away. So let's get to work."

Agostino said that although "strong mayor" powers are being used to revisit the budget, Dilkens has assured that the final decision on the plan will rest with council.

While Agostino said he's anticipating a "healthy debate" on Monday, he also expressed puzzlement by how there could be opposition to the plan.

"What are the reasons for not supporting this? The minor increase in property taxes, which really comes down to about 40 bucks per household? Is it the fact that there's going to more attention focused downtown than other parts of the city?" Agostino argued.

"Downtown is the heartbeat of our city, right? Downtown is the heartbeat of any city."

MacLeod pointed out that the plan is the result of 18 months of collaboration with the DWBIA and other stakeholders, including a community consultation process led by the consulting firm StrategyCorp.

"I think every part of this plan is important for our downtown, from additional policing to cameras to cleanliness to property standards," MacLeod said.

"We've talked to developers who are telling us that if this plan doesn't go through, they're not going to develop properties that are planned for downtown. So I hate to think about what's going to happen if council decides that they don't have the backs of the downtown."

On Thursday, Our Downtown publicized a collection of quotes from local developers and investors — all endorsing the downtown revitalization plan. The list of supporters included the Valente Development Corporation, Mid South Land Developments, The Rosati Group and Fortis Group.

"This could be the defining moment for the heart of the city — the catalyst for a complete revitalization," wrote Anthony Maggio of Mid South Land Developments.