Thoughts on the Roundtable
For someone who has very little experience in organizing events such as our Roundtable Discussion on the effects of Urban Sprawl with Artcite last night, I came away from the event a little wiser and more prepared for the next one.
This was our second event geared towards increasing public involvement in the way we plan our communities. It was also a little different, as it was geared towards a more diverse audience and the panelists of the roundtable reflected that. Around 40 people crammed into the Artcite gallery to be part of a discussion focused on the cause and effects of “Sprawl” and how we move forward, understanding that the “investments” our society has made in suburban development will not be going away any time soon.
Larry Silani (director, Town of LaSalle Planning Dept) gave us a little history on the events that have brought us to today, and showed us that our chosen methods of transportation (subsidized personal automobile infrastructure) clearly dictated that we develop our communities in a certain way. Transportation choice and diversification will play a key part in the shape of our future communities. Larry also brought up the fact that our currebt infatuation with the border file is distracting us from more important issues that need our attention. The elephant in the bedroom, so to speak. I couldn’t agree more, Larry! Joe Rauti (president, Greater Windsor Home Builders Association) brought us another important perspective. The membership of Joe’s organization has been building “sprawl” for decades and it has been a lucrative time period for them. Yet, they are coming to the realization that the times they are a’changin’ and the suburbs aren’t going to be providing them with the kind of security it has in the past. Joe helped us understand how there are roadblocks in the way of developers building in the core (infill, adaptive reuse, etc.) that needs to be overcome to make this needed form of development profitable for his membership.
Shannon Porcellini (trustee, separate school board) is a reasoned voice for smaller community-based schools on the WECDSB. With her background in geography, Shannon understands that our educational institutions have a large impact on our built environment and the ways our neighbouhoods operate. A vocal proponent of walkable urbanism in an organization that has a lot of influence in how our society is built is an incredibly important asset when we are looking to build stronger, more autonomous neighbourhoods. Veronika Mogyrody (frmr. Prof of Planning, Uof W) has been with us since the beginning, and brought with her a focus on asset mapping as a tool to highlight the great resources we have as a community. Windsor has so much to offer, and is not doing a sufficient job at marketing its assets. Veronika brought forward the idea that we are going to be living through a period when we need to reclaim our lost agricultural resources that have succumbed to the ever-growing suburban borders. “Peak Food” will be coming into play as the era of cheap energy comes to a close and the notion of the “3000 mile Caeser Salad” will be forgotten history.
Mark Boscariol shared with us his insights into downtown revitalization and what we need to pursue to breathe life and diversity back into our core areas. A stagnant downtown is a precursor to a stagnant municipality, and Mark brought his passion for our downtown to the table in the hopes of working through some of the issues that are blocking developers from working their magic in our cities core. I hope that Mark and Joe can work together so that we can begin to remove some of the roadblocks to redevelopment and start seeing some construction workers and pylons in the City Centre West lands soon. Adam Glover, one of the showcased artists in Artcites “Check Out This Sprawl” exhibition, brought us his perspective as a new-comer to this community and a working artist living in Windsor. He has come to love this city and feels that it has been given a bad reputation - and this needs to change. Commenting on the active “scene” and the scores of residents dedicated to Windsor’s revitaliation, I know that Adam will be playing a larger role in the way Windsorites view their city, leading to a renaissance of citizen-led change. Because that is the only way that we are going to move forward, isn’t it? Adam also documented the evenings proceedings and will be editing the video for us to archive on ScaleDown for those of you who weren’t able to attend. Thanks Adam!
I came away from this forum with a renewed sense of optimism in light of recent setbacks. We know we have a growing wave of support behind the rebuiding that is necessary in this city. Have we achieved the “critical mass” necessary to enact this change? Not even close. What I have taken away from this roundtable discussion is the fact that we must move from mere discussion to action. This sentiment was echoed by many of the panelists and participants in last nights event. It is clear that this must be a citizen-led, grassroots movement and I believe we have the numbers to get this started. Now, it is time to organize and put the rubber to the road (I love these auto-analogies, don’t you?).
Stay tuned for the next chapter, as we’re going to need all the help we can get. Want to play an active role in the further organzating of Windsor’s renaissance? Simply send an email to info (at) scaledown.ca, as we’re building up a database of people with the different skills needed to make this a successful endeavour. This time is different. I can feel it.
Tags: event, planning department, urban sprawl
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“We can only extend ourselves so far befor we destroy the things we need.”
That was one of the first things I wrote in my notes last night and I thought it was significant because it demonstrates that people other than us scaledowner types can see that there is a limit.
Those were the words of Joe Rauti.
…and why I have hope that we are going to actually be enacting some change very soon!
Couldn’t make it last night, my apologies. However, I would say that the DRA (Downtown Residents Association) should be involved next time (wink, wink) especially when speaking about the roadblocks to infill and adaptive reuse.
Chris, we need to go for a coffee so I can hear what was said with regards to the developers.
Mr Silani is bank on in his assessment about the King’s neurosis when it comes to the border file. But I have to ask, why hasn’t LaSalle embraced a larger roll for Transit Windsor to fill a niche for mass transit in LaSalle and Windsor?
I am soooo glad that this forum exists … Joe Rauti is the kind of person needed to help make change to our built environment. I would do it myself, however, he has the dollars and expertise!! … how about eliminate the barriers to his infill/redevelopment ideas by creating a specific geographic area near the core that has no development fees (after all, the needed infrastructure is in place) and possibly add a reduction in taxes (because it negates the cost associated with greenfield developments).
What neighbourhood to choose for subsidized redevelopment?? … how about Dtown to the U of W, Wyandotte to the River. Why here?? I’ve always been perplexed by this … if this were any other major centre … this area … near the waterfront, some classic homes, close to Dtown … is PRIME real estate … why not Windsor?
If not this area … how about one of our existing “urban villages” … Ottawa Street, Erie, Olde Sandwiche Towne, Walkerville etc. …
Love to hear others thoughts on this … especially one who knows the legalize of a tax incentive plan
One more thought(s) … our “investments” in suburbia will not go away soon? Not to sound like mister apocalypse, but … as a Lasallian, I believe people will fight this battle by demanding government continue to lavishly subsidize sprawl … we have too many $$ tied up in our homes, communities, infrastructure etc … not to mention the mega millions in suburban big box parking lots to give them up!!
However, gas prices will ultimately cause the changes needed to generate compact sustainable urban areas … I believe that completely!! … I also believe that in the interim there is a need for leaders in business who will see long term opportunities in the older neighbourhoods of the city, gov’t leaders who will stop pursuing megaprojects to solve our problems and invest in strong neighbourhoods and communities, school boards that will recognize their role in building strong communities within our core by building state of the art well equipped schools in those areas (that’s why I chose lasalle over windsor!), and again municipal government that sees savings in redeveloping existing communities, that stops subsidizing sprawl, and reinvests those dollars into our neighbourhoods (transit, rec centres etc.)
Again … my ranting … your thoughts please!
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Oops … one more thing … what I just wrote … translates to … Nero fiddles … Rome burns!!
Step up Eddie!!!
I think that the next step is a list of policy statements that are signed by as many residents and city leaders as we can find. Here are some abbreviated items I would put on the list
1. A market study/survey to find out what amenity, incentive or policy would be required to get people to move back to the inner city or whats stopping them. Use the information to create and find a way to fund a Partnership with all BIA’s to promote and market to bring down new residents to their areas.
2. finish and implement the CIP’s (expanding the scope of the sustainable downtown plan). Apply for all incentives possible on all of them
3. Replace the Heritage planner and review the process, scoring and list
4. Develop design guidelines that allow for walkable commercial development (i.e. commercial buildings must front on road with parking in rear, adopt dWBIA design guidelines and restrict certain elements)
5. Develop sign guidelines for areas (BIA’s) we want to foster such as no backlit signs, strobe lights etc…
6. A separate and lower tier of Development charges for infill development
(why does a home with a 500,000 value pay $17,000 but an inner city home with a value of $100,000 pay $15,000 discouraging infill) could be part of #2
7. Make a decision on use of city owned land in City Center West
Oh, and….
8. Work with the county and the provincial gov’t to install a green belt like they did in GTA to prevent any land in Essex county from being rezoned from agricultural to residential.
9. Lobby the province to make the college’s Health Science bldg a reality somewhere in the core
10. form a task force to execute the steps shown on the EPA’s website to become an active aging community. Forget about doing it solely to make windsor an retirement community for outsiders. How about making it a healthy active aging community for our own residents!!!
Good points Mark, all are doable! Especially number 6, it should be a lot bloodly cheaper to infill than to build new, with new roads, sewers etc. How long must the old core of Windsor pay for development elsewhere in this city, which is heavily subsidized as it is, with low development fees that don’t cover the actual cost in the present nor into the future! Whereas a good portion of “old” Windsor has been bought and paid for over and over again!
Parking in the rear or underground or better yet..NO PARKING! If we do it right over time, nobody would need to use a car for the hood! And who knows where gasoline is headed that owning an individual car might just not be a thing of the future!
Active living for all from tots to whenever!
Hey, who owns the new restaurant “Black Bean Bistro” on Ouellette, very stylish front! But the one next to it with that very guady commerical sign adversting some alcohol company has got to go!