Thursday, November 29, 2007

Two Hikers in the Woods


Let me preface this post with a story you probably have heard about two hikers in the woods
Two hikers, hiking in the woods stumble upon a ferocious Grizzly Bear, the first hiker turns around and methodically takes off his back pack and changes his hiking boots for running shoes. The second hiker looks in sheer horror and shrieks “what the hell are you doing, there’s no way that you’re going to be able to outrun a Grizzly Bear”. The first hiker turns to him and says, “ I don’t have to outrun a Grizzly Bear to live, I just have to outrun you!”

Every day I have been coming across some article or blogger that chastises our leaders for not acknowledging Grizzly Bear type problems Windsor Faces. Meanwhile I think they miss the point that the city needs to collectively start running faster than its competitors. They want to see grizzly bears everywhere they look, remaining paralyzed. Look, I am not defending our leadership, I just want those who solely bitch and whine to get off their asses and start contributing.

Take downtown for instance; of course I realize the challenges downtown faces with border security, exchange rates, lack of dedicated nexus lanes on both border crossings, leadership that continues to support urban sprawl. Why on earth would I want to keep focusing and speaking about these problems . Once they are acknowledged, you develop a plan that recognizes them and then DON’T LOOK BACK.

Downtown has a plan that includes advice from a panel of experts from the International Downtown Association, Peter Bellmio, and the examination of highly successful comparable downtowns. It is a multi year plan that is in progress. It focuses on fundamentals such as Clean and Safe, and now Infrastructure and Beautification, next it moves into Business, Secondary Education and Residential Recruitment and eventually going into marketing and events in the future. Is this plan sexy? Probably not, then again neither are roads and sewers. The point is that this plan has been proven to work in every other Downtown that has adhered to it.

If someone came up with a better plan or even elements that furthered our goals, then we would review and adapt. That's not the case with downtown critics. They continue whining about nonsensical items such as not building an arena on insufficient lands (as if a single pad on 6 acres could have ever worked) that many damn well know would have lost money on an annual basis. Pointing out and discussing the Grizzly Bear may motivate some through fear, but I am motivated by envisioning the potential of what I am working on. Unless you have some new information to offer, talking about the Grizzly Bear becomes like drinking toxin that causes paralysis. There is no new problem downtown faces which would warrant a change in the current action plan.

I understand and appreciate those ridiculous statements and comments such as about Windsor’s problems being cyclical should be corrected. In my case, I’m not focusing on or talking about the problems because I see no value in doing that after they’ve been acknowledged. I believe the bloggers doing it think that it makes them somehow intellectually superior than those they criticize, seeing something they believe has been overlooked. Abraham Lincoln once said “he has the right to criticise, who has the heart to help” In Mr. DeRosiers case, he’s earned it and we should listen. However, there are many other critics (I would single out a certain blogger), have done nothing but poison our city. To think that bitching and whining about what others should do is some type of contribution is twisted. It's one thing to offer an opinion, it's another to claim to know what is in the hearts and minds of others. I would end with this; that it's not only about how much you love Windsor, it's about what kind of person you are, what kind of example you set for your children. Roll up your sleeves and find a way to contribute.

An Open Invitation

Dennis DesRosiers' annual, though unofficial, State of the City address brought cries for a change in city management, policy and the need to "think outside the box" from members of the Greater Windsor Home Builders Association. According to a Star article on the meeting, attendees agreed with DesRosiers' blistering critique of all things Windsor, blaming the majority of the woes of the city on "divisive leadership, fear of the unknown and overly-political media." (Ed: I wonder if DesRosiers would consider a guest column for SDW?!? )

While I missed the presentation last night (probably due to the fact that I can't swing a hammer to save my life), I have to say that, despite the reported fear-mongering, DesRosiers is on to something here. Dennis' love/hate relationship with Windsor is long recognized, but, as Joe Rauti stated (as quoted by the Star) "His speech was right on, but we've got to get leaders listening to him.", though I only half-agree with his statement.

For years builders have built sprawl-divisions, scraping fertile topsoil from farmers fields to plant a crop of raised ranch, back-split, two-car garages with attached 3-bedroom houses. While the economy was growing so fast it was almost tripping over itself builders couldn't churn the homes out fast enough as low interest rates enticed even moderate income earners to abandon the core of Windsor and seek refuge in suburban McMansions. Now that interest rates have climbed, sub-prime mortgages are defaulting at a record pace, and the local economy is tanking faster than the Titanic, builders are blaming council for bad policy decisions and 'not listening'.

The problem, as I see it, is that council DID listen. They listened to builders who wanted to rezone lands to build homes, wanted council to hold the line on building fees to prolong a softening construction market and support new subdivisions with sewers, roads, and emergency services. Now the homebuilders are calling on council to take on a leadership role in the hopes that Windsor will turn-around and save the industry.

There is a solution to this problem, and is has nothing to do with city council. Let the Greater Windsor Home Builders Association has to put their talent and money where their mouths are by assuming the leadership role that they are demanding of city council. Come together with urban advocates, cutting edge architects, 'green' technology professionals and other industry experts and build, within the city of Windsor, an example of Windsor's innovation in every aspect development. This can't be a cheap publicity stint, but rather an exercise in co-operation and innovation, a marquee development for a properous future. Dive into the core area (the lands to the west of the casino come to mind) and show that re-development can be just as lucrative as building new, not to mention mutually beneficial to the consumer, community and construction industry.

I extend an open invitation to any builders, or builder representatives, to contact Scale Down Windsor. We will assist you in bringing together the ideas, innovators and talent to make this project work for everyone involved. Let's show DesRosier, and ourselves, that Windsor not just a fading speed-bump on the 401, but a city of the future. This isn't about city council (trust me, they will be falling over themselves to support this one), this is about Windsor, who we are and, most importantly, who we want to be!

BTW: Here are the links to the DesRosier mp3 files that Chris Holt was promising, (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3) along with the powerpoint presentation that accompanies the first part of DesRosier's keynote address. (Thanks to Chris Schnurr for the link to the powerpoint!)

Renegade Blogger Alert!

Man, I hope the Windsor Star reels in Monica Wolfson. She is - oh my god! - questioning the leadership of City Hall! Watch her blog get pulled very shortly.

Only this time, I'm not backing her up. She's talking out of her butt on this issue, advocating the Engineering school move out to the suburbs. Thanks a lot, Sprawlica!

So why be shortsighted? And why fold to local political pressure that isn't exactly putting the students, university or industry first in its demands. I see some of the best land opportunities out by the airport or in other industrial areas off Malden Road - but what do I know?
Yes, Sprawlica, what do you know? You don't think the residents of this community should have some say as to how the University develops. Funny, they didn't mind taking a weekly withdrawal (for 5 years, BTW) from my Ford/CAW paycheque for their new CAW Student Centre? Plus, you are arguing out of both sides of your mouth, saying a 3 km hike is too far for these students to trek, and then advocating for a much longer commute out to the airport.

I hope they listen to the people who know something about building technical facilities and not people who have lots to say with little to no substance backing them up.

Just ask, Sprawlica. We can back up every word we say.

P.S. SDW backs a different campus for the downtown location - say a relocated Lebel building or law school. However, we definitely don't want to perpetuate a sprawling, exurban land use cancer.