Michael Bates, retiring Managing Director of Human Kinetics Canada, the fitness publisher housed at 475 Devonshire Rd. Meanwhile, Alynn Anglin & Steve Hewitt have opened Anglin Financial Management at 1580 Wyandotte East, which previously housed the Meeting Place. Anglin and Hewitt have done a marvellous job renovating what was once a deli and lunch place. The old BMO bank at 1799 Wyandotte Street East, former home to T’Dye For Hair Salon (recently moved to 1464 Ottawa Street), has sold for $295,000. It will be leased for eight months while the new owners apply for a liquor licence with a long-term plan of opening a Martini bar. The landmark Peerless Ice Cream store, on the east side of Chilver at Wyandotte, has been sold and ice cream sales are now combined with an amazing tasting sushi. The old Deliotte and Touche building, 1666 Wyandotte St. E., has been bought by a group with plans to convert it into a church and community centre. The former Scratching the Surface building, 1514-20 Wyandotte East, yielded the best bargain. This property, listed under power of sale for $109,000, had seven offers the first day and was acquired for $140,000 by a numbered company. The 7,000 square-foot vacant lot on the north side of Wyandotte between Chilver and Windermere, is on sale for $319,000. This block housed four businesses before the buildings burned down during the blackout earlier this decade. Last, but not least, there is word that negotiations are in the final stages to locate a restaurant in the old Walkerville Pizza, 1737 Wyandotte E."
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Good News in Olde Walkerville
Michael Bates, retiring Managing Director of Human Kinetics Canada, the fitness publisher housed at 475 Devonshire Rd. Meanwhile, Alynn Anglin & Steve Hewitt have opened Anglin Financial Management at 1580 Wyandotte East, which previously housed the Meeting Place. Anglin and Hewitt have done a marvellous job renovating what was once a deli and lunch place. The old BMO bank at 1799 Wyandotte Street East, former home to T’Dye For Hair Salon (recently moved to 1464 Ottawa Street), has sold for $295,000. It will be leased for eight months while the new owners apply for a liquor licence with a long-term plan of opening a Martini bar. The landmark Peerless Ice Cream store, on the east side of Chilver at Wyandotte, has been sold and ice cream sales are now combined with an amazing tasting sushi. The old Deliotte and Touche building, 1666 Wyandotte St. E., has been bought by a group with plans to convert it into a church and community centre. The former Scratching the Surface building, 1514-20 Wyandotte East, yielded the best bargain. This property, listed under power of sale for $109,000, had seven offers the first day and was acquired for $140,000 by a numbered company. The 7,000 square-foot vacant lot on the north side of Wyandotte between Chilver and Windermere, is on sale for $319,000. This block housed four businesses before the buildings burned down during the blackout earlier this decade. Last, but not least, there is word that negotiations are in the final stages to locate a restaurant in the old Walkerville Pizza, 1737 Wyandotte E."
Saturday, July 28, 2007
How Walkable Is Your Neighbourhood?
WalkScore.com is a newly launched website designed to do just that. It uses Google Maps and relevant data, provided when you type in your address, to give you a rating out of 100 as to just how walkable your neighbourhood actually is.
Idea Exchange
Believe it or not, there are a lot of people and groups out there who are actively working at assembling the different little pieces needed to "fix things". Over at WorldChanging.Com, they work under the premise that real solutions already exist for building the future we want. it's just a matter of grabbing hold and getting moving. Take a look at their manifesto;
Like they say on their site, Changing the world is a team sport
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Planning Department in Shackles?
It was during the 2005 community meetings for the Huron Church Road Urban Design Master Plan when it hit me - the city is interested only in making this street prettier for motorists. It has nothing to do with urban design. Their design did nothing to address the lack of function of this "Civic Way". It did nothing to address the environmental concerns of the abutting property. It did nothing to address our ever expanding reliance on the private automobile. What it did do was plant a few gardens, berms and pretty ornamentation for the motorists stuck idling behind transport trucks to admire. Yet, this is their idea of what constitutes "urban design".
'Sidewalk contacts are the small change from which a city's wealth of public life may grow.' Jane Jacobs
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
This Weeks Local Music Line-up
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Does Windsor have what it takes?
This is a question that we intend to explore a lot more intimately in the days and weeks to come. But first, let's define just what the "Creative Class" is and why it is an attractive goal for our little ol' municipality to bring them into our midst...
The creative class, as defined by Richard Florida in his book "The Rise Of The Creative Class", are the segment of the population who make their living utilizing their personal creativity and resources. Those individuals whose talent is to create meaningful new forms; such as the artists, architects, information technologists and entrepreneurs - the purveyors of new ideas. This group of individuals, traditionally identified as college educated 25 to 34 year olds, have recently graduated college and have yet to set down roots in any one particular community. They have yet to develop the cynicism that infects the older generations. They are unafraid to experiment with new ideas and concepts - those ideas and concepts which are looked upon as the seeds to new economic "revolutions".
They are drawn to culturally vibrant communities, rich in diversity and tolerance with a low cost and high standard of living. They need access to markets and populations to feed off. This "Young And Restless" demographic, as labeled by CEO's For Cities, will be seen as the driving factor in a cities economic and cultural health in the years to come. The questions then arises; Does Windsor Have What It Takes To Attract The Creative Class?
Geograpically, Windsor is situated on a 685 square mile peninsula, across from Detroit, Michigan. With a metropolitan population of 350,000, we are only a one hour drive away from 4.5 million Americans, two hours away from 11 million and six hours away from 25 million, of which over nine million travel here to visit.
In the 2001 Canadian census, the city had a population of 208,402 and its official metropolitan area had a population of 307,877. Windsor attracts many immigrants from around the world. It is the fourth most diverse city in Canada with over 20% of its residents being classified as foreign-born. University of Windsor electrical engineering prof Majid Ahmadi says this area can become a high-tech hub with it's culturally diverse population, proximity to the U.S. and research talent. According to prof. Ahmadi, we could duplicate Vancouver's success in attracting high-tech giants like Microsoft.
Windsor has one of the lowest median housing costs on the continent when compared to other urban metropolitan areas. Young upstarts normally seek out affordable areas so they have more available resources to devote to their business'.
Whereas this target demographic has never traditionally sought a specific climate (chilly Denmark and Sweden are excellent at attracting these folks), Windsor's climate is one of the warmest in Canada - posessing what's called a humid continental climate. Being away from the lake effect, Windsor is one of the cities receiving the least amount of snow and it's summers are some of the warmest in Canada, seeing how we're on the same latitude with Northern California.
Foreign Direct Investment Magazine, the London, UK based publication devoted to establishing itself as the most trusted source of information for those companies involved with cross-border expansion, named Windsor, Ontario as North America’s leading “small” City of the Future, scoring well for business-friendly policies and a strong development programme that includes several large-scale projects involving public and private investment.
Yet, Windsorites seem to be ignorant of their potential. Numerous international publications have identified our favourable climate, access to markets and economic environment as "just what the doctor ordered" with regards to economic success, yet we fail to see it. True, we have a lot of ground to cover when it comes to increasing our liveability. Our city council seems to dither on implementing necessary changes. Council's neglect of the Capitol Theatre and the arts community as a whole is a hint of their cavalier attitude. Segments of our residential populations are averse to change, as proven by the residents of Riverside Drive's campaign against bicycle infrastructure and active transportation. Our declaration that the downtown core should become an "Urban Village" replete with mixed-use residential land use and emphasis on public transportation was a bright spot in 2006 , yet where is the physical evidense that this is anything but wishful thinking? The University of Windsor's Engineering Department was said to be investigating moving to this downtown site, joining St. Clair College's Cleary acquisition in bringing over 2000 students and faculty into the core. Yet, nothing but tumbleweeds have appeared to date.
We have a ways to go, yet numerous groups and individuals believe our future is indeed bright. Meaningful change happens at the transitionary periods of history, and Windsor is by no means an exception to this rule. The University of Windsor's Lloyd Brown-John wrote in his June 18 Windsor Star column; "Windsor can reinvent itself. To do so will take the talents and imaginations of its most creative and innovative minds. These are not always apparent - simply because one occupies a position does not ensure creativity. Where are those creative and innovative minds? How can they be identified or self-identified? How will those imaginative minds which have the capacity to take this city into the future manifest themselves?" Those are some of the questions that we need to ask ourselves, for it will take the open minds - those who are not dwelling on the status quo as savior - to see our way to this bright future.
Windsor will not only survive the latest economic woes, but will flourish - only if our attitudes and mind-sets change with the times.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Pint Of No Return
Come on folks We really do need to support our own in this city. Ambassoador Brewery lasted for three years before it closed it's doors in 2002. Charley's Brew Pub continues to brew it's Time Out beer, but unfortunately it's only available in-house
Karen Behune Plunkett and her husband Michael Plunkett re-opened the Walkerville Brewery in 1998, after it ceased it's original operations in 1956. Walkerville was voted "Canadian Brewery of the Year 2004" and 2006 World Beer Cup Winner. Karen has sat on many community Boards and is currently a member of the Windsor Regional Foundation, Windsor Utilities Commissioner, Honourary Chair of the Alzheimer Society and a 2000 International Athena recipient.
What has Chairman of the Board Pete Coors done for us since his Coors brewery swallowed up Canada's second oldest corporation Molson breweries (behind only the Hudson Bay Company) and moved them to Denver Colorado? They have pocketed Canadian brews Creemore Springs, Rickard's Red, Laurentide, Black Horse and India Beer. In addition to alcoholic beverages, Molson owns a 20% stake in the Montreal Canadiens, who historically have been the NHL's most successful hockey team. They also sponsor the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks. Molson is part-owner of Brewers Retail Inc., operator of The Beer Store retail chain, which--protected by legislation--has an over 90% market share of Ontario beer sales. Their advertising campaigns are still focused on Canadian's latent anti-Americanism, which proves this Colorado-based corporation's patriotism runs second to their bottom line. "I AM Canadian" my ass!
London, Ontario's beer-darling Labatt's? Yup - since 1991 it's now Belgian, along with the other Canadian beers in it's corporate arsenal; Nova Scotia's Alexander Keith's, Hamilton's Lakeport and B.C.'s Kokanee. Labatt (well, Inbev now) is also part owner of The Beer Store retail outlets, so most of the money you spend there heads overseas.
So, belly up to the bar at your local watering hole this Canada day and ask for a pint of Walkerville. Not in stock? Go elsewhere. Head to the brewery to stock your home supply as well. Walkerville has a great summer special going on now - for $29.00 you get a mixed 2-4 of their Original Lager, Premium Blonde and Superior Light.
Now you can't use the "too expensive" excuse.
Tell 'em Topher sent you.