Goals and Vision - Downtown Resident Association
(ED: This post was originally published on our temporary International Metropolis home, during the our server-meltdown period. I know it was overlooked then, so I am reposting it here today so that it gets the attention it deserves.)
Todays post is a guest blog that is near-and-dear to Scaledown’s heart. As most of you know, last week (during the big Seagrave Scandal) a new organization held its innaugural meeting with a vision of creating a more livable and vibrant downtown. This time - for the residents. We love this!
So today, welcome Rhys Trenhaile, one of the organizers of that meeting…
Over the years of living downtown, we’ve all heard many of the same wishes, requests, and demands for downtown. Many of you have been here long enough to remember being able to walk to the hardware store, the Windsor market, among other basic services.
If we go to the decision makers to voice our opinions, visions, and complaints by ourselves, we likely aren’t going to get anywhere. But one unified voice representing many – that’s power in any democratic setting.
As many of you have heard, a few of us have decided to take some initiative in this regard, creating a Downtown Resident’s Association. Our opening meeting went much, much better than expected, and now we’re building on that momentum.
This is not going to be a forum to grind axes with city councilors, the downtown entertainment district and anyone else you wish to yell at. This is about building bridges and bringing a voice to the downtown residents, working with city council and the businesses that currently exist in the downtown core, so that we make it a better place to live.
I think founding member John Sheriden said it best during the inaugural meeting when he said that we will look “…to accept those things we cannot change, and look to change those things that we can.”
Eventually, we hope bring greater balance, and greater stability, to the downtown core. This is not wishful thinking; we only have to look across the border to see what successful resident’s associations have done there, to wonderful downtown areas such as Corktown, or Royal Oak.
Any successful modern downtown in the Western world – from Australia to Europe to North America – has a thriving entertainment district. Like it or not, our downtown in the early 1990’s was a ghost town commercially, with vacancy rampant as retail moved to the malls and big box enterprises. But do note this: these very same successful downtowns also have other qualities, such as a heavier residential population density than Windsor’s, and basic amenities to cater to that residential population. This must be worked on.
The three founding directors are Philip Haddad, John Sheriden, and Rhys Trenhaile (the latter your faithful scribe). Philip, a retired principal, comes in with an abundance of experience, having served on over a dozen committees and associations of significance both locally and nationally. He currently serves as the president of the 75 Riverside Drive East Condominium Complex, and obviously cares deeply about this community. Moving forward, he is serving as our chairperson. John Sheriden is a local businessman, a long time downtown resident, and is a past-president of the Victoria Park Place Condominium Complex. He’s a well known advocate of the downtown core, and is relishing a chance to bring many of our voices together. I, Rhys Trenhaile, am a real estate agent, and a fully licensed lawyer (I promise to go into politics and complete the “trifecta of evil” at some point). I’ve served on the Board for the Carousel of Nations, have been involved as an executive member of a federal riding association since the age of 20, and have successfully implemented a grassroots movement in the recent past: we successfully got council to agree to give Windsor Parks and Recreation an additional sum of money, to improve the quality of the local soccer fields (change can come from us in a very similar way, issue by issue).
At any rate, we want, need, and strongly encourage more participation in our fledgling association. Community service hours are always limited by other commitments (e.g. work and family), so the more quality individuals we can spread the workload over the better. We are going to try to maximize our time by informing, organizing and communicating via email to start. To sign up for our announcements, and to volunteer to help effect change downtown for the better, please email us at [email protected]. If you do not have email, please ask someone close to you to sign up, and keep you informed. We hope to add a dedicated phone line soon.
I am looking forward to making this an exciting venture, where we look back at our accomplishments with pride. I am certain we will all make a difference together.
We’re looking forward to it as well, Rhys. Let us know how we can work together to aid in making our downtown resident’s voice heard loud and clear. Look for Rhys joining Mark and I on the April 29 episode of ScaleDown Radio as well.
Congratulations as well go out to those residents who are taking ownership of the 3:00 AM closing time that council is having a very hard time dealing with. It was deferred last night (4/13) for an additional two weeks. It seems they are giving you more time to organize the group a little more, doesn’t it?
Tags: Downtown, guest blogger, pedestrian, place making, Resident's Association, revitalization, walkable
Post Feedback
Rhys. I was going to call John with regards to the closing time coming up at city council this Monoday but I am sure he will be there again as will I.
I do not want too much time to lapse so I hope we can get a meeting going within the next two weeks max!
I look forward to working with you, the DWBIA and the rest of the board to represent the residents of downtown. I know that by working TOGETHER we can make a downtown that Windsor will be proud to show off to our visitors.
Honestly, until few days ago I didn’t know what DWBIA means (I seen it on dirty windows of a downtown building, just wondering what was last time they washed these windows). Our downtown is place that we as residents should be PROUD of it, I mean it “PROUD OF”. Almost every day I walk through downtown (going to work) in early morning hours (8:30am-9:30am) and in the evening hours (around 10:30pm) and I do not rush to work I take my time.
Don’t take me wrong, but i have feeling that our downtown is not “alive” (not counting Friday and Saturday). I personally believe that Downtown area (at least half of city center) should be completely shut down for public transport (exceptions would be: Police, Emergency vehicles and Fire department). That would be great opportunity to add more residents and Visitor environment.
I’ll see if I can spare some time in near future to help you out…
Perhaps we should off on the urban village for now and focus on using that land to build a proper arena downtown.
Urban village is the cart before the horse. An arena downtown is the horse.
The arena out on the east end is the donkey leading to nowhere.
Natale, with our current arena-build topping the $65 million mark, I don’t think we can afford to start talking about yet another one. Our infrastructure is crumbling, our residents are fleeing and our businesses are busting. How about a library branch in Ward 3? We really need to focus on those first.
The urban village downtown will do something no “Silver Bullett” project can do; inject vitality and life through the infusion of residents who care about the area. Without those residents willing to speak out for their community, the businesses will stay away and the apthy will continue.
Chris: with the most affordable real estate prices in the country, Windsorites have a wide range of choices to live where they would like.
You need to give people a reason to want to live downtown, in an urban village which would mean “higher density”. Why would someone want to live in a townhouse or condo downtown if they can afford a beautiful spacious home elsewhere?
Something needs to attract people to that lifestyle and that something isn’t there yet.
Natale, with all due respect the arena debate is over. If you really want to make a change for downtown then it MUST be for residents first. After that, businesses will come. All studies of downtown have shown that without residents, a downtown will fail.
The downtown arena wouldn’t have been the magic bullet that city hall always seems to want to have.
Currently our vacant land downtown will be put on hold due to the slow housing market. If the city would have done the urban village 3 or 4 years ago it would already be populated. They sat on the proverbial toilet and now we all have to wait because our economy has soured.
I have talke dot many people who used to live downtown and those who would like to. The number one thing they are waiting for is the new urban village. Most do NOT want to live in our downtown condo’s because most would rather a small front garden or rear garden. Most want to live in architecturally pleasing houses (and will pay for them) that can showcase their individuality yet still have a cohesive look. This obviously can’t be done in a highrise condo. Many would even like to purchase other houses in the area to fix up and rent! Imagine that gentrification in Windsor!
We hit “Post Feedback” at the identicle time
Are you peering in my window again?!?