Again, like our guest speaker Chris Turner, our main premise lies in that if it exists somewhere else in the world, then there can be no argument as to whether it is possible.
The Ambassador London program alone should make you understand our Mayor’s frustration at how Windsorites beat up our own city as opposed to becoming its ambassadors. Now don’t get me wrong, all is not sunshine, rainbows and puppy dogs in London. The Ambassador Program has just had a scandal where a 3 minute commercial cost $51,000, and the commercial is a real yawner compared to the Downtown Windsor commercial by HCA and Suede Productions which cost the DWBIA a teeny-tiny fraction of that amount. The point is that if it wasn’t for my post you would never have heard about their mistakes where Windsor’s problems are virtually shouted by megaphone.
(Downtown Windsor's video can be seen on their webpage by clicking on video at the bottom left. London's comparison video can be seen here) Maybe we can trade some of our best practices for some of theirs.
Another of Londons' major accomplishments is that they have added or will add more than 1,700 apartment units to downtown and here is a quote from Mainstreet London which is the equivalent of the Downtown Windsor BIA.
"Residential is key to all this," says Janette MacDonald, general manager of MainStreet London. People who live downtown shop, dine and entertain themselves there.
You know that I have to repeat the fact that Downtown London completed their community improvement plan and implemented the Development incentives recommended by that plan over a decade ago. And don’t be fooled, Downtown London probably has more safety problems and incidents than Downtown Windsor. London installed 16 security camera’s and started a progressive graffiti removal program that sees offenders diverted from the courts to scrub and clean. Windsorites can still top London once and a while though; London’s security camera program costs them $200,000 annually, picked up 100% by the city. The joint city-DWBIA program gives us approx. 10 camera’s and only costs the city $15,000 annually.
Hopefully our joint bid with London will allow Windsorites to focus on that city’s best practices so we can add them to our own.
Friday, lets compare the arts in London to Windsor
