The University and The Road Less Travelled.

This is just like the scene in that movie - you know the one - where the protagonist is standing at a fork in the road, contemplating which direction they will head. And you just know that this is a make-or-break moment - one way will have a great outcome, and the other way - catastrophe. It's a cheesy metaphore for an up-coming life decision, but appropriate at that.

The decision we are gawking at now here in Windsor is by no means an easy one. Never in my lifetime has an opportunity of this magnitude been on the table, and I've been living through the border crossing debacle (because none of those "options" will really affect anything - we're still going to get stuck with 10,000 trucks a day driving through Windsor, it's been distilled down to a fight over their elevation). This decision will determine whether the City of Windsor changes its economic fortunes and prospers, or continues to wither on the vine.

Back to our protagonists decision. The route on the right is the visibly easier one. This is the road that most of the members of the University of Windsor's Board of Governors will opt to take. Less headaches, land expropriation and permit applications would be necessary in building a prestigious Centre For Engineering Innovation out on a greenfield sie on the periphery of our city. And this is clearly where this route would take us, because if was just up to the University, it is probably the cheapest one. However, the City must play an active role in this decision and take into consideration what the costs would be if the University chose this route. Not only would the city be on the hook for numerous infrastructure upgrades, highway widening and generations of increased vehicular traffic and smog, but it would also be sacrificing an investment in the downtown that could be the difference between revitalization and rigor mortis. Hense, our protagonist is counseled to start thinking about the road less traveled - the one on the left.

This road is a little neglected and overgrown. It seems as though it has been forgotten about for quite some time. Yet, there is beauty down this road. Sure, nature has tried to reclaim it - the asphalt is crumbling and the weeds are poking through - but it still has a certain allure to it. This is the road leading to renovation, urban renewal and adaptation. This is a road that will utilize resources that we have already invested in and paid for. This option would add to the cultural and creative renaissance that downtown Windsor needs.

Simon Fraser University has done it with their Morris J Wosk Centre For Dialogue in downtown Vancouver, and that has led to the revitalization of the Downtown Eastside. George Brown College moved its multidisciplinary performing arts program into downtown Toronto in 2005, accomodating both students and Toronto's Soulpepper Theatre Company. Oil-rich Alberta is getting into the game as well, making a conditional offer to purchase the Hudson's Bay building in Edmonton's downtown.

When the University of Calgary embarked on its so-called “urban campus initiative” two years ago, the institution’s development officials were thinking mainly about building a downtown campus – a standard-issue, bricks-and-mortar cluster based in Calgary’s down-and-out East Village area, not far from the business core. No one anticipated the way the project has evolved, admits Roman Cooney, University of Calgary’s vice-president, external relations. But even before the university and its partners on the project (Athabasca University, Bow Valley College, Chinook Learning Services and the Calgary Board of Education, among others) begin building the $300-million “learning precinct” on city-owned land, students and faculty involved with the urban campus initiative have started connecting with a part of Calgary that has missed out on much of the prosperity of the oil boom. “It came from what students were telling us,” says Mr. Cooney. “They wanted real life experience and to be connected with the community before they graduated.”

Just his past February, The University of Waterloo announced that a satellite of McMaster University's Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine will be located on the University of Waterloo Downtown Kitchener Health Sciences Campus. Anchored by the new UW School of Pharmacy, the Health Sciences Campus is the catalyst behind the announcement of a satellite medical school. As University of Waterloo president David Johnstonstated, "This is a day for the history books of Waterloo Region, McMaster University and the University of Waterloo. The synergies are wonderful, with the satellite of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine co-locating with our School of Pharmacy on the Downtown Kitchener Health Sciences Campus. We are so fortunate that the City of Kitchener has been the catalyst in developing the Health Sciences Campus, providing funding of $30 million to the School of Pharmacy, plus a gift of land at King and Victoria Streets."

"UW's goal in all of our health-related activities is to make a difference in the lives of people in this community; not to conduct research in isolation, but to translate our expertise into things that improve the quality of life and the quality of health care for our neighbours, our families, our friends," Johnston added."This is a day for the history books of Waterloo Region, McMaster University and the University of Waterloo. The synergies are wonderful, with the satellite of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine co-locating with our School of Pharmacy on the Downtown Kitchener Health Sciences Campus. We are so fortunate that the City of Kitchener has been the catalyst in developing the Health Sciences Campus, providing funding of $30 million to the School of Pharmacy, plus a gift of land at King and Victoria Streets. UW's goal in all of our health-related activities is to make a difference in the lives of people in this community; not to conduct research in isolation, but to translate our expertise into things that improve the quality of life and the quality of health care for our neighbours, our families, our friends," Johnston added.

These projects are part of a growing trend among Canada’s postsecondary institutions. Universities and colleges are increasingly forging partnerships with municipalities and a wide array of local organizations to create downtown campuses and programs that not only fuel urban redevelopment but also create important social connections between students, faculty and the communities that surround them. Results that the City Of Windsor desperately needs to recognise as being necessary for us to survive this latest economic downturn we are experiencing.

Let's hope that Mayor Francis is successful in thwarting another attempt to subsidize (to the tune of $40,000,000) urban sprawl and keeps these 1,600 - 2,000 engineering students living, working and playing in downtown Windsor. An email or phone call from you wouldn't hurt, either.

Riverside Roundabouts

During the Riverside Drive Vista Improvement Projects public deliberations, there was a woman who got up before council, visibly nervous, and poured her heart out with concern over the cities plans to install traffic roundabouts at specific intersections along riverside Drive. Now, I have experienced roundabouts both as a motorist and a cyclist, and have had no concerns about the saftey of these traffic calming/controlling devices, but she spoke with such emotion that I thought I would look back into this age-old method of controlling those motorised beasts.

I came upon this post from Spacing Wire, a heavily visited Toronto blog, that begs the same question: what kind of experiences have people had with modern day roundabouts?

Modern roundabouts have been popular in Britain since the 1950s and were adopted by other European countries during the 1980s and 1990s. More recently, they’ve been introduced, initially on a trial basis, to the United States and Canada. Those trials have proved so successful, not least in dispelling drivers’ fears of the strange circular junctions - remember when “The Simpsons” visited Britain only to find themselves driving around and around one? - that many more roundabouts are now being built.

“When construction started, there was a quite an outpouring of concern,” said Tom Adriance, highway superintendent of Malta, a town in upstate New York, where five roundabouts were recently completed and another seven are planned. “It was something new, and people were nervous. But as they’ve gotten used to the roundabouts, they’ve realized the benefits. The traffic moves quicker and flows pretty freely; very rarely is there any type of stacking or backup. Who wants to sit at a red light for two or three minutes?”

The success of the modern roundabout’s design is rooted partly in its structure and partly in its ability to modify motorists’ behavior by encouraging them to drive more slowly and considerately. It dates from the early 1900s, when William Phelps Eno designed Columbus Circle in New York as a “gyratory traffic circle” where vehicles drove around a central island. Across the Atlantic, his archrival, Eugène Hénard, was developing a similar idea around the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

So, did this woman have any legitimate concerns, or was her reaction purely an emotional one based upon wives-tales and heresay? After a good 25 minutes of web browsing, I couldn't find one empiracle study that concludes that roundabouts are less safe than any of the other forms of traffic control devices that we are currently utlizing here in North America. There were some concerns regarding multi-lane roundabouts, but the proposal for Riverside Drive is only for one lane in each direction. These conclusions were echoed in the region of Waterloo:

Why do roundabouts have such a good safety record?

1. Fewer Conflicts. Roundabouts have fewer conflict points compared to conventional intersections. Roundabouts eliminate the potential for hazardous conflicts such as right-angle and left-turn head-on crashes. Roundabouts with single-lane approaches are safer than those with multilane approaches because of fewer potential conflicts between road users, and because pedestrian crossing distances are shorter.

2. Slower and more consistent speeds. Lower speeds in roundabouts allow drivers more time to react to potential conflicts, helping to make roundabouts safer. Most motorists travel at about the same speed through a roundabout, and that helps to reduce the crash severity compared to conventional intersections that mix slow and fast traffic.

3. Pedestrians cross one direction of traffic at a time. Pedestrians need only cross one direction of traffic at a time at each approach as they walk around a roundabout, compared with two-way traffic at most conventional intersections. There are just as many potential conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians at a roundabout compared to a conventional intersection, but at a roundabout the traffic all comes from the same direction where at a conventional intersection the pedestrian has to watch for traffic from all directions. In addition, motorists travel slower entering and exiting a roundabout compared to a conventional intersection. As with other road crossings where the pedestrian has to watch for a gap in traffic, roundabouts still present visually-impaired pedestrians with unique challenges.

So, I say that anything we can do to bring motorists and their 3,500 pounds of hurtling steel under control should generally be looked upon favourably.

Global Revitalization Lessons

There's a battle in the West to reclaim city streets as part of our collective wealth as people-places and social havens. The following is from the organization New York City Streets Rennaisance, and their findings and critiques are equally applicable to Windsor, along with pretty much every other city on this continent. They even take the step of offering global examples of successful metropolitan areas that we can educate ourselves with. Just substitute "Windsor" when you read "New York", and you can visualize what we must do as a city to bring life back to our streets.

New York is a city best enjoyed on foot, yet we plan our streets for cars.

New York City's streets are the soul of its neighborhoods and the pathways to some of the world's most in-demand destinations. For generations, New Yorkers and visitors have strolled, shopped and socialized on sidewalks and street corners. Pedestrian friendly streets are the city's most fundamental assets.
Unfortunately, we aren't making the most of these assets. Instead, our streets are being managed almost entirely for traffic flow, with neighborhoods and business districts buckling under increasing amounts of dangerous car and truck traffic. If we continue planning our streets for cars and traffic, we will get more cars and traffic; conversely, if we start planning our cities for people and places, we will get more people and places.
Streets are more than just car corridors; they are valuable civic spaces and resources that need to be wisely allocated. The New York City Streets Renaissance Campaign is building the movement to re-imagine our streets as lively public places.

Goals of the New York City Streets Renaissance

- Educate New Yorkers about potential transportation policy changes that will improve quality of life across New York City
- Promote a rebalancing of this public space away from private vehicles and toward community needs
- Demonstrate the widespread public support for reform on these issues
- Tap the potential of New Yorkers to re-imagine their own streets

The choice is clear: either we choose to be defined by worsening traffic and perilous streets or we can define ourselves through great public spaces and lively streets. Through action and dialogue New Yorkers can raise expectations for their public realm.
Join our city-wide campaign for local improvements that reflect your neighborhood's unique character.

Now, Windsor just needs to follow NYCSR's example and develop a similar group of our own. Any takers?

Urban Agriculture Information

ed: As I promised in a previous post, here is some contact information for those interested in buliding community through local urban food production.

FedUp - Windsor’s community gardening network
Since the spring of 2007, FedUp has practiced and encouraged collective gardening, harvesting, distribution, food preparation and preservation, and culinary celebration.

Help FedUp Grow

Anyone who wants to help build our region’s capacity for local, organic food production and distribution is encouraged to join our network. Do you have space that you want to contribute? We will build, maintain, and harvest a garden, dependent on the availability of gardeners. Do you want to garden? We will coordinate interested gardeners, and provide them with space, help, and advise as needed. Do you have a surplus from your own gardens? Please don’t let it go to waste.
We will collect and distribute it to those in need. Do you have fruit trees that go unharvested?
Please tell us. We will harvest them so that all of us can enjoy their bounty. Do you have gardening wisdom that you’d like to share with a new generation of gardeners?

Our first three sites

Over the last 5 months, about 15 people have worked FedUp’s three donated sites.

Malden Rd. (the south-east corner of Malden Rd. and Lambton) has presented us with many challenges (like deer, rabbits and a very dry summer), but continues to bring joy to its gardeners.

The Ecohouse (793 Sunset Ave.) provides us with an outdoor space amid a garden that has been tended with care, for our weekly potlucks, meetings, and discussions.

Moy St. took lots of digging by FedUp’s ‘head digger’ and others, and has reciprocated with lots of produce.

Join us for Sunday Potlucks 6pm in the backyard of the Ecohouse (793 Sunset Ave.): anyone can come and share their favourite dish, get to know their fellow gardeners, and participate in discussions about FedUp, gardening practices, and food politics.

Cooking Workshop
noon on August 26th: two of our gardeners will use produce from our gardens to lead a participatory cooking workshop. We’ll make: Gazpacho, Peperonata with Garlic Crustini, Stuffed Zucchini, and Lemon Lavendar Scones. There’s limited space, so please RSVP by Aug 20th by phoning 519-258-8398 or emailing maya.ruggles@gmail.com.

What cars do to cities.

In the previous post "Save Our Scenic Drive", we pointed out the transformation happening with Wyandotte road in the name of moving more cars. Todays post is taken from a blog entitled "Naparstek", and further illustrates how our urban environment is being altered to make room for the personal automobile.

Aaron Naparstek: "The two photos above were part of a presentation I did on Wednesday, November 16 for the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council's monthly brown bag lunch seminar." In the first photo, New York City's Park Avenue was once... a park! This photo is looking north on Park Avenue at about 50th Street some time before 1922. The photo next to it is Park Avenue post-1922 after "improvements" to accomodate motor vehicle traffic. You might say that these two photos tell the story of 20th century New York City public space about as eloquently as it can be told. In my presentation I argued that New York City's current surface transportation system is broken, dysfunctional and in increasingly urgent need of repair. Then I offered five ideas that could go along way towards fixing it:

- Better Bike infrastructure
- Traffic-calming
- Pedestrian & public space improvements
- Bus rapid transit
- Congestion charging"

So, you see, there are many lessons to be learned all over the place about how to treat your urban spaces. Looking at the list the author provides that could "fix" our broken, dysfunctional transportation system, how do you feel Windsor is doing? We have talked about and started some policy initiatives that address some of these issues, but that's about it. We must fight for bike lanes. There has been a traffic-calming policy passed, but is it being implemented? The other three just aren't worth discussing as Windsor has been starving these unwanted children in a closet under the stairs for generations.

Unfortunately, Windsor seems to think they're something "special" and are somehow beyond learning from the experiences of others.

Save Our Scenic Drive

Is it my imagination, or is Wyandotte THE most popular street in Windsor these days?

Everywhere you turn, you read about some section of Wyandotte being dug up, expanded, rearranged, extended and generally being toyed with. The eastern-most end of the street is now snaking its way out into the suburban nether-regions, reaching the land of the suburbanites who tend to flee the core area. Expensive bridges are being built to accommodate their commute and the infrastructure costs are spiraling out of control. All this is happening while the crumbling water mains and sewers in the older neighbourhoods are being neglected to the point of failure.

Wyandotte is like the multiple-personality afflicted character Cybill, displaying all kinds of different personalities depending on when and where you explore.

Heading west from this suburban personality of Wyandotte, you find the street widening out into 4/5 lanes of asphalt wasteland. Continuous road upgrades live here. The only people negotiating this stretch of Wyandotte on foot are those unlucky souls whos cars have broken down. No pedestrian life exists here. A glimpse of the entire street's future, perhaps?

Further west, you begin to approach the older parts of this street. The section running through the area that used to be the outlying industrial area of Walkerville prior to Windsor’s annexation of it and Riverside. This is where the Ford Motor Companies and Hiram Walkers of the area set up shop and needed rail infrastructure to carry on with its business. They financed tunnels and bridges, rail connections to ship their goods and links to the river to load their merchandise onto barges. It’s a fascinating area with bridges and buildings dating back to the 20’s and 30’s. Unfortunately it is also considered a bottle-neck for the efficient movement of motorists, and we all know where in the hierarchy historic conservation lies in comparison to “growth”. So, it is this area that is receiving a ton of attention (and tax dollars) from our cities Department of Public Works who is tearing down one old bridge (built by hand in 1931 by the Town of Walkerville) and rehabilitating the other one in the hopes that motorists will begin to chose this street to move through the city as opposed to Riverside Drive, which currently acts as an east-west mini-expressway.

Here’s a chance for me to allay some of my guilt. For years, a group of alternative transportation activists have been lobbying our municipal leaders to include bicycle lanes on Riverside Drive, myself included. We have been fighting for cyclists and pedestrians rights to be included in our local transportation planning priorities, and this was a great way to launch a high-profile battle against the well-heeled residents who didn’t want anything to do with these “Cyclists”. Well, the result of this lobbying was the passing of the Riverside Drive Vista Improvement Project, whose unfortunate by-product was the shifting of motorist capacity over to Wyandotte, which the city has stated has “excess capacity” (if this is true, then why do they have to tear a lot of it up and add vehicular lanes?) I feel like Wyandotte has been sacrificed for a pleasant motoring experience on Riverside Drive’s “Scenic Drive”.

From Page 8 of the the City Of Windsor's Riverside Drive Vista Improvements Projects class environmental study, completed December '06:

"4/ Traffic Diversion ...The third and most important element of traffic diversion is to provide Wyandotte Street east with the capacity and operational characteristics to attract and accommodate through traffic diverted from Riverside at an acceptable level-of service.This will be accomplished by implementing the East Riverside Secondary Plan recommendation to extend Wyandotte Street and McHugh Street east, by enhancing the capacity of Wyandotte Street East with potential peak period on-street parking restrictions and by reviewing the warrants and timing of traffic signals on Wyandotte Street east."

So, at this point we've torn down an historic structure, levelled out the trench and widened it to accomodate the vehicular flow (except the cyclists - they don't get any bike lanes here). This brings us to the intersection of Walker and Wyandotte, which through 2001's Walker Road Corridor Class Environmental Assessment process, was determined needed infrastructure improvements and an increase in capacity. According to a city official, "(b)asically the future design is for Wyandotte to be 5 lanes (2 lanes in each direction plus a common turning lane) from Monmouth to St. Luke and left turn lane installed on Walker at Wyandotte. The next couple of years have been budgeted for design and land acquisition."

So, in a nutshell, you will have 5 lanes of traffic from the eastern most urban sprawl funneling into Olde Walkerville - which the city has "branded" The Distillery District" - which has only two lanes of traffic. The city will then, according to the RDVIP, begin to remove on-road parking to accomodate the huge flow of suburban commuters who will, by design, be washing out any remaining signs of the walkable community it once was.

Sounds like Smart Growth to me!

UPDATE: Those bronze plaques attached to the Wyandotte Subway have been stolen. Little surprise in this city.

Backpedaling on an incredible opportunity

So when is Windsor going to pull it's lethargic ass out of the 19th century and actually accomplish something worthwhile in it's downtown core? Here's a post, published here verbatum from CoolTown Studios, which highlights the fact that we are nothing but navel-gazers in this city.

"Arizona doesn't exactly have a reputation for placemaking, but

Arizona State University is looking to change that in a grand way with their Next American University plan to accommodate 90,000 students via two new urban campuses, one north of Phoenix, one in its downtown. Then there's ASU's take on what university research buildings should be, a microcosm of University of South Carolina's Innovista research village.

Skysong, aka the ASU-Scottsdale Center for Innovation, is a 37-acre, ten-year, 1.2 million s.f. project that will provide 4000 jobs and $300 million in investment via office space, retail and housing, centered by an artistic tent-like structure.

The city's key goal of course, is to leverage the university to create high-growth jobs, export its innovations, attracting global companies as partners, and developing entrepreneurial and tech transfer programs (eg Technopolis, the Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative, and the Partnership for Research in Spatial Modeling). The ASU Foundation bought the land for $41.5 million, then sold it to the City who is leasing it back along with financing its infrastructure.

Now the urban design of the large mid-rise industrial-looking buildings aren't the most humanistic, but at least it's not parking lot-oriented. It's a step in the right direction.

Read more in Next American City."

Call me crazy, but does this not sound like a worthy objective for The City Of Windsor and our University?

Real Estate Horror Story or Cultural Opportunity?

When I was looking to purchase a home in the Olde Walkerville neighbourhood back in 2002, there wasn't one to be found. True, I had a very specific criteria that I wanted met, which narrowed my focus to about two streets, but the point is - there was nothing for sale. Nada. The minute a "For Sale" sign went up in front of a home, there was dozens upon dozens of people going through it that weekend and an inevitable "Sold" sign decorating the front within a week. When my home went on the market, the first weekend's open house saw 27 families going through the open house, resulting in 6 offers. I was (obviously) the lucky purchaser, but I actually offered MORE than their asking price because I knew the currents of the Walkerville real estate market at the time.

So what has changed in the past 5 years? This house, which is almost across the street from me has finally sold after being on the market for months. It's a beautiful home - four bedrooms, den, main floor laundry, usable attic space, fully finished (including basement) with all the charm that one could expect in a (almost) 100 year old Walkerville home. When I moved into the neighbourhood, the neighbour who lived there told me he bought the house a few years prior for about $230,000. This made me feel I got a steal on my house. Yet, when he went to sell in '05, he let it go for $210,000. Not so good. Then, just this past week, I find out that after sitting empty for 3 months (the current owners moved to the States) it was taken off the market for a $175,000 offer!

Yes, all my neighbours are watching their investments plummet into the same hole Windsor's economy now resides. Yet, our suburban counterparts are enjoying a relatively safe investment. Another neighbour who got a steal on his Walkerville mansion, recently sold his neo-victorian suburban dream house for more than his asking price (over $300,000), so the high-end suburbs are still hot.

As D.T.H. stated in the previous post, there are unending opportunities for someone with deep pockets to come into one of these older, walkable neighbourhoods and begin a cultural revolution. The urban influx is happening in countless other communities, which is also signalling their economic health. These cultural pioneers are recognising the importance of being in the thick of things in the core of the city. The never ending opportunities for cultural experiences, the amenities, the (relatively) low current real estate prices and the ability to get on with your life without the need to drive everywhere.

So what does this say about Windsor when these incredible neighbourhoods are languishing unloved in the real estate market? It means we still don't get it. It means we haven't made the connection and are still clinging to the unsustainable suburban dream.

When intellectuals are terrorists

I had to double-check my calender today fearing that, in spite of the reassurances of modern convenience, we had slipped back to the 1950's. Alas, it is only the political climate in which we live in that is making a mad dash for the policy of yesteryear. Now don't get me wrong, I would be all for a return to a much more simple and quaint way of life where hard work and honesty ruled the life of the average joe. Unfortunately, the "Leave it to Beaver" lifestyle is only a rose-coloured view of the reality that captured North America for nearly 20 years.

What has caused me to wax nostalgic, in a frightening, foreboding sort of way? Apparently intelligence analysts with the NYPD have determined that average joes, like you and me (I'm reading between the lines here!), are capable of becoming blood-thirsty, poison-our-neighbours, blow-up-building, terrorists. (All this without being elected to the White House! ) It seems that the new hotbed for terrorism can be found in "cafes, cab driver hangouts, flop houses, prisons, student associations, non-governmental organizations, hookah bars, butcher shops and bookstores," etc.

If the past is a good indicator of the future (and it usually is) that means that the treatment of Muslims that so many Americans, regardless of their religious stripes, have come to expect the White House to dole out, in the name of National Security, is now going to be meted out indiscriminantly on coffee drinkers, students, NGOs, meat-eaters and readers.

Now, since I personally qualify in 3, soon to be 4, (no I don't drink coffee and, yes, I can read!) of those categories, I fully expect that at some point the near future I'll find myself a resident of a Gitmo-like institution. We are already being slowly labotimized by mass media (have you turned on the television lately?), emotionally sterilized to the point that we are willing to accept any mindless gruel. That sort of rhetoric legitimizes global governments in ratcheting their aggressive "Anti-Terror" policies a little closer to the "Ruthless Dictator" level.

After realizing that this is, for now, only a consequence of living South (or from our vantage point in Windsor, North) of the border, I was able to breath a sigh of relief. Sure Windsor has a lot against it, but at least we can congregate and freely speak our minds, we can openly disseminate information, and we can eat meat -- and we can like it! So, take a moment and say thanks Windsor, thanks Canada -- you might be taxed until it doesn't hurt anymore, but at least we don't have George W. Bush for President.

Individual VS Collective Action

Every now and then, you are going to come across a post on this blog that constitutes nothing but my wandering thoughts. Being the uneducated person that I am, they may be hard to follow, but hopefully, they prove a worthwhile exercise none-the-less.

We here in the West, the past three or four generations at least, have been brought up to believe that the individual is god and collective action lies on the periphery with the freaks and weirdoes. That we have the power to mold our own future and if we fail, it is the fault of our own lack of "protestant work ethic" or drive. I feel this constantly in my own life and I know that the majority of my peers feel it as well.

So, what does this have to do with the future of our community? Everything, in my perspective. I know that Windsor will not crawl out of its cave without collective action towards "something", yet the individual is the one calling the shots.

There are many individuals in Windsor who are doing remarkable, progressive things. True, a lot of them belong to groups who are constantly working at changing something. Yet it is the effort of individual action that materializes the quickest that gets noticed. For example, local architect Joe Passa has made "Green Architecture" the focus of his practice. He has accomplished much in the ways of making others see the benefits of investing in sustainable methods of construction, including seemingly immoveable organizations such as the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board. He is a talented individual and his success is proof positive that there is a desire to change out there.

Yet, a green building lying in the solitude of urban sprawl can be considered an anomaly - a distraction. Nothing exists in a vacuum. In and of itself, it will lead to little change in the way our day-to-day life is affecting the health of our society and planet. The same transportation habits will be required to access these schools: those big, yellow school buses will continue to roll and kids won't be able to walk from their suburban raised ranches; partly out of the media-induced fear of strangers, and partly because we've designed their neighbourhood to be unwalkable. It could be argued that we will not move in the necessary directions without shining examples of successful projects, but the necessary next step requires collective action. Is our society ready to take that next step?

Our older, walkable communities offer some hope, yet they are being squeezed as well. With the heavy subsidization of brand new exurban development beaconing, and the crumbling infrastructure that nobody wants to fix in these older communities, can anyone blame homebuyers for fleeing with their needed tax dollars out to the fringe bedroom communities of Tecumseh or LaSalle? It is in their individual best interest to do so. It would be nice to be able to think that these scenarios are out of our control, yet the politicians that each of us individually elected into office over the course of our lifetimes have set the stage for the product we are now forced into buying.

Which brings us back to the theme of this post: Individual VS. Collective Action. Ideally, it is up to the individual to recognize the positive effect of collective action and act accordingly, but are they making that connection? It is easy to blame "them" for making a mess as we go about sleepwalking through our daily routine. What is it going to take to shake people out of their comfort zone - the one that is slowly dragging us down this road in the first place - and have them join with their neighbours in improving our daily existence?

I have always been of the mindset that it will take a revolution before any noticeable changes occur. It is during the tumultuous transitionary periods in history when necessary changed is deemed acceptable. However, today - the French have established a political environment where their government is afraid of the people, and not vice versa as it is here. They will take anything to the streets, regardless of how small and petty the issue seems to us. They don't take any shit, and they have earned the respect of their elected leaders because of it. What was it that made the French make the connection between direct collective action and accountable government without the spark of societal collapse?

So what future episode in Windsor/Essex County residents lives will act as the catalyst towards direct collective action? Our crumbling economy? Our crumbling infrastructure? Our deadly air and water quality? So far, I have seen more revolt over the price of gasoline, yet nothing comes about other than silly little boycott schemes. This leads me to believe that with all these life and health altering issues that we are currently dealing with, that we are in for a long summer of collective abuses that will continue unchecked until that final "straw that broke the camels back" is laid down upon us.

What will it take for us to begin demanding better; in our homes, our communities, our workplaces, our schools and our elected officials?

Community Building 101

I spent Saturday morning learning just how important food is to building a sense of community.

Members of Windsor's fledgling community garden cooperative Fed-Up Windsor made the trek across the border to Detroit to see how Earth Works (who's motto is "Connecting Urban Detroiters With Nature") has accomplished all that they have. According to the American Community Gardening Association, "... community gardening improves the quality of life for people by providing a catalyst for neighborhood and community development, stimulating social interaction, encouraging self-reliance, beautifying neighborhoods, producing nutritious food, reducing family food budgets, conserving resources and creating opportunities for recreation, exercise, therapy and education."

The EarthWorks Garden started in 1999 as a partnership between the Capuchin Soup Kitchen and Gleaners Community Food Bank. The garden started as a small plot of land in the inner city of Detroit and has grown to 3/4 of an acre on three plots near the Meldrum Street Soup Kitchen. Complete with a greenhouse, EarthWork's primary goal is the education of Detroit area school children in areas of science, nutrition and biodiversity of organic agriculture. The project also yields fresh produce to benefit such programs as WIC and the Soup Kitchen's daily meals. As noted on their website;

"As a society, we have become dangerously disconnected from the land
and the sources of food that sustain life. We have detached ourselves
from the real source of wealth - a respectful and reverent relationship with
the land.

In 1998, I felt a calling to start a garden at my workplace, the Capuchin Soup
Kitchen. The response was overwhelming and positive. That small plot of land
grew into what is our Urban Farm project today.

EarthWorks Garden seeks to restore our connection to the environment and
community in keeping with the tradition of our spiritual patron, St. Francis. It is
a working study in social justice and in knowing the origin of the food we eat"

So we made the trek over to see what we could learn from them. Myself being the transplanted urban-boy-grunt work (I've seen a farm, once...:), I had so much to learn. While I didn't learn the nuances of sacrificial plantings or nitrate-building ground cover, I did see first hand how numerous different people from different socio-economic backgrounds, when they get around dirt and worms and compost, seem to lose all inhibitions and cooperate towards a common goal. When we take food production for granted, we tend to lose the connectedness it brings, and this is something that I hope Fed-Up Windsor can bring back into our community.

From one of my gardening comrades blogs... "We also learned quite a bit for our own FedUp community gardening project, which currently has three plots here in Windsor (at the Ecohouse on Sunset Ave, on Malden Rd, and on Moy Ave), and is already giving us some zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers. We have no website up yet, but that is a near-future project, and we are always looking for more volunteers, small plots of land, and other resources. We meet every Sunday at 6pm for a potluck in the backyard of the Ecohouse, where we divvy up the week' harvest and make plans for future gardening adventures. "

I will try and give you some information about Fed-Up in the near future if you are interested in participating. If you want to head over to Detroit and do your thing at Earth Works, they welcome any and all volunteers on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Just get in touch with them through their website.

Good News in Olde Walkerville

Some very welcome good news regarding Walkerville's Distillery District, courtesy of Windsor's Biz X Magazine;

"Olde Walkerville in Windsor ain’t dead yet! Biz X has compiled a list of new business openings and bargain-basement property transactions that promise to pull the district out of an economic tailspin. The former ICON store, 1623 Wyandotte Street East (which closed in January), is re-opening as a fitness studio, complete with juice bar and yoga, in late summer. The proprietor is
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."

Fans of this neighbourhood (and fans of a healthy Windsor, period!) will welcome all this good news.

How Walkable Is Your Neighbourhood?

We have discussed before the fact that the more walkable a neighbourhood is, the more likely its residents are to engage in different forms of active transportation. Walkable neighbourhoods also tend to be more community focused and tight knit.

Thank your lucky stars that you now have a very useful tool for figuring out if that new house you were looking at purchasing is located in a walkable neighbourhood. You could have gained 30 pounds if it weren't for this blog post.

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.

From their press release;

Seattle – July 23, 2007 –

"Is your neighborhood a walker’s paradise? Can you easily stay fit by walking to a nearby grocery store to shop for food while simultaneously saving money on gas, parking, and repairs? Plug your address into just launched WalkScore.com to find out! WalkScore.com calculates a home’s walkability “score” and encourages walking by identifying the closest schools, grocery stores, and other businesses. WalkScore.com is also a great way to find out if that new house you’ve been eyeing meets your needs as a walkable neighborhood. You can also find out the walkability scores for other houses, like your uncle’s house, the White House, any address that piques your interest. WalkScore, a Google mashup that uses Google maps and business listings, was designed by Seattle residents Jesse Kocher, Matt Lerner, and Mike Mathieu. It works for any street address in the United States of America and Canada, assigning points based on the distance to local amenities, then averages the score. The site also lets you compare your score to that of famous locations and people such as Bill Gate’s house, Fenway Park, even Jennifer Anniston and Brad Pitt’s (pre-divorce) house. "We wanted to create the Zillow of walkability so people could easily compare one house to another. Walking isn't just good for your health, it's good for the health of our neighborhoods and the planet," says Matt Lerner, one of the site's creators. The group was inspired by reports from the Sightline Institute, a Northwest think tank, on how city design and health are affected by each other, from obesity to air pollution to social capital. The appeal of living in a walk or bike-friendly neighborhood is gaining momentum and not just with city professionals and hipster urbanites, but also with a growing number of families that want their kids to be able to walk to school and older adults that want to stay active by walking. “Instead of spending time in traffic, I can chat with my daughter and neighbors on the way to day care,” says Kristin Kolb, a mom who lives in a Seattle neighborhood that scores a 74 out of 100 on WalkScore.com, and who recently started walking her three-year old to day care instead of driving. According to Sightline Institute, recent studies show that residents of compact areas—where homes are mixed with stores and services and the street network is designed for walking—are less likely to be obese; suffer substantially fewer chronic illnesses such as diabetes, lung disease, and hypertension; and have a lower risk of dying in a traffic accident because they drive less. The air they breathe may even be cleaner than their suburban counterparts’, especially if they spend less time in the “pollution tunnel” of busy highways. Some users of WalkScore are comparing their neighborhood’s Walk Score as an emblem of local pride and of their lifestyle choices. Step by step, walking can help you stay well. And walkable neighborhoods mean enough people to support good mass transit, a reduction of gas use and green house gas emissions, and increased support of local businesses."

I found it a little lacking in accuracy when I typed in my address, but for the most part it is a very cool new tool. Here's a few of the results from my brief time on the site;

- my neighbourhood of Olde Walkerville - 55 out of 100

- my old neighbourhood in South Windsor - 18/100, for an improvement of 37

- my buddy Tommy's move from the Blue Heron area by the Tecumseh border to just down the road from me - 14/100 to 51/100, for an improvement of 37 points. Way to go, Tommy

- my brother in LaSalle - 28/100

- my parents in the Riverside area - 14/100

The best score I could come up with in Windsor was a 62 for somebody living downtown. Be sure to leave a comment after you've done your neighbourhood. Let's find out what is the most walkable community is (according to WalkScore, anyways) in Windsor/Essex County.

Idea Exchange

Yes. I am not the only one who doesn't believe we're screwed.

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;

"WorldChanging.com works from a simple premise: that the tools, models and ideas for building a better future lie all around us. That plenty of people are working on tools for change, but the fields in which they work remain unconnected. That the motive, means and opportunity for profound positive change are already present. That another world is not just possible, it's here. We only need to put the pieces together"

They started out as a blog, and then shot skyward from there. Yet, they hold true to the idea that all the pieces to the puzzle are out there, we just need to assemble them at home. No, it's not a simple technological fix they're espousing. It's a predominantly social one. So what they've done is assembled an international crowd sourcing resource to help us along in our quest.

Like they say on their site, Changing the world is a team sport

Planning Department in Shackles?

A comment on a previous post has been made that it appears that the City of Windsor has no clear goals or objectives relating to the future of its built environment.

Navigating through the cities official website, there are many pages devoted to how important good urban design is to the quality of life of Windsor residents. Clearly, by publishing these pages on their website, they know there are better ways of developing Windsor. Now, let's see if they are following their own advise.

Windsor SEEN is described as being a "...Municipal Urban Design Agenda For The Windsor Community". It was adopted by city council over three years ago. Quickly glancing through this six page document will reveal just what this city means by Urban Design. Throughout, it stresses "image" and "impressions", focusing on what people will think of us "(b)y the time the 2006 Superbowl draws the visitation and global media attention of millions to the shores of the Detroit River, we must be seen at our best". It is a document whos clear intent is to "manage (our) identity". Form over function. (there's a headline on page two that actually uses a James Howard Kunstler reference - "Avoiding the 'geography of nowhere'" - in support of their plan!) In all the years in which I studied Urban Design at the post secondary level, I didn't come away with this description as being the main driving focus of the craft.

It was during soon-to-be mayor Eddie Francis' "Town Hall"-type campaign meeting in ward three, prior to his first term win, when I heard him call the Legacy Park big-box development Smart Growth. It was then that I knew we were in for a long, uphill battle. But, I digress...

Wikipedia describes Urban Design as a discipline "concern(ing) the arrangement, appearance and functionality of towns and cities, and in particular the shaping and uses of urban public space. It has traditionally been regarded as a disciplinary subset of urban planning, landscape architecture, or architecture. However, with its increasing prominence in the activities of these disciplines, it is better conceptualised as a design practice that operates at the intersection of all three, and requires a good understanding of a range of others besides, such as urban economics, political economy and social theory." This encapsulates what I spent my time studying. Yes, a successful community design is aesthetically appealing, but that is but one portion in a complicated recipe. Yet, it is the only ingrediant our planning department is allowed to use.

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".

What is even scarier is that these "urban design" ideals are now firmly ensconced in our Official Plan. You know - the Official Plan that basically guides everything that the city does from now on by law!

My definition of urban design is more focused on the day-to-day life of the cities residents, instead of putting simply on makeup for the guests. By increasing the quality of life for the everyday users of our infrastructure, we are investing in our own future. For as the residents begin to develop a pride-of-place, they start losing the attitude that Windsor is disposable. Urban design is an organic process, and one that is continually building upon little successes over time. Jane Jacobs hated the idea of putting all our eggs in one basket and relying on mega-developments to "save" a community and so do I. The sense that I get when reading through the cities online documentation is just what a previous writer noted - we have no clear direction as a city. We are ambling along - as our Mayor attends Wrestlemania events on behalf of his citizens - grabbing at each and every new, shiny thing we come across. Hoping that "pretty" will be "enough". Hoping that we can build a "brand" that will fool people into visiting and investing here. Hoping that the taxpayers continue sleepwalking through life and don't start demanding better.

Well, it's not. We must identify our municipal destination and devise a clear path to get there. What kind of city do we want to be? What kind of residents do we want to attract? What kind of economic development do we want to inspire? In what kind of neighbourhoods do we want to raise our children? These are all aspects of my urban design. Elements of daily urban life that build confidence in one's elected officials and their leadership skills. One that recognises the learned expertise of our municipal administration and allows them the flexibility of suggesting alternatives without an iron fist driving them back to the plan of subdivision that they are working on.

Good planning will not be the silver bullet for our current economic and social woes, but we will definitely not be healed without it.

'Sidewalk contacts are the small change from which a city's wealth of public life may grow.' Jane Jacobs

This Weeks Local Music Line-up

After replying to a previous post, I realised that I had access to information that would help people (re)discover local talent and some of the local business' that support this local talent. Check out the following list assembled by local booster Jamie Greer. All bands are local Windsor bands unless noted. All shows are at 10pm unless otherwise stated.

I will make this a weekly addition to the blog

TUESDAY JULY 24

The Avalon Front (300 Ouellette Ave.)

SAIGON DISCO w/ DJ Shawn Renaud

Electropop, New Wave, Post-Punk Alternative

WEDNESDAY JULY 25

The Avalon Front (300 Ouellette Ave.)

The Mod Club w/ DJ Jamie Greer

Motown, Britpop, 80's/90's Alternative,

60's British Invasion, Modern Rock

The Coach & Horses (156 Chatham St. West, beneath Pogo's & The Loop)

.ninjaspy. (Vancouver) wsg Batoche (Vancouver) and Destroy Thy Will

http://www.myspace.com/thetriadinblood

http://www.myspace.com/batocheband

Leopard's Lounge

My October (11pm start)

http://www.myspace.com/myoctoberband

THURSDAY JULY 26

The Avalon Front (300 Ouellette Ave.)

Mihirangi (New Zealand) wsg Portia

http://www.myspace.com/kulchanation
http://www.myspace.com/portia

The Chubby Pickle (762 Ouellette Ave.)

Not Even Third

http://www.myspace.com/noteventhird

Oishii Sushi & Ultra Lounge (255 Ouellette, beside Chanoso's)

Rock and Roll Sushi w/ DJ Jamie Greer (8pm - midnight)

Old Fish Market (156 Chatham St. West, beside Pogo's)

Huladog

http://www.myspace.com/huladog

Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. West)

Steve Ward's Scattered Trio (early show - 5-8pm)

http://www.myspace.com/stevewardtrombone

FRIDAY JULY 27

Big Tony's (911 Walker Rd.)

Mr. Chill & The Witnesses

http://www.myspace.com/mrchillampthewitnesses

The Chubby Pickle (762 Ouellette Ave.)

Focal Point wsg Evelyn Falls and Aravice (Detroit)

http://www.myspace.com/focalpointband

http://www.myspace.com/evelynfalls

The Coach & Horses (156 Chatham St. West, beneath Pogo's & The Loop)

Shot Down Stars wsg Foxfight (Tillsonburg),

Afallenhero and Unblinded Eyes

http://www.myspace.com/shotdownstars

http://www.myspace.com/foxfight

http://www.myspace.com/afallenheroband

http://www.myspace.com/unblindedeyes

The Loop (156 Chatham St.)

Stereo Friday w/ DJ Shawn Renaud

80's/90's Alternative, Electro, Modern Rock, Retro

Sky Lounge (261 Pelissier St.)

Kanada - Anti-Plugged

http://www.myspace.com/rocksteadykanada

The Windsor Armouries (37 University Ave. East)

Windsor Pride presents "A Night at the Armouries"

(Doors at 6:30pm)

7:45pm - Screening of the film "The Bubble"

10:00pm - The Golden Hands Before God Conducts Incredible Magic Band & Spirits

http://www.myspace.com/thegoldenhandsbeforegod

SATURDAY JULY 28

Aleksander Estate Wineries (Ruthven)

Mr. Chill & The Witnesses

http://www.myspace.com/mrchillampthewitnesses

The Avalon Front (300 Ouellette Ave.)

SHINE: Music Video Dance Party w/ DJ Whiteshoe

The Chubby Pickle (762 Ouellette Ave.)

One Man's Opinion wsg Rotation (Flatrock, MI) and StereoGoesStellar

http://www.myspace.com/onesmanopinion

http://www.myspace.com/rotation

http://www.myspace.com/stereogoesstellar

The Coach & Horses (156 Chatham St. West, beneath Pogo's & The Loop)

Voodoo Mafia wsg Jen Militia (Toronto)

http://www.myspace.com/voodoomafiaband

http://www.myspace.com/jenmilitia

Riverside Plaza (across from Casino Windsor)

Windsor Pride presents "Summer Sizzle" (Gates at 4pm)

Carole Pope (formerly of Rough Trade)

wsg Kelly & The Kellygirls (Toronto)

http://www.myspace.com/carolepope

http://www.myspace.com/kellyandthekellygirls

Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. West)

Megan Hamilton (Toronto) wsg TBA

http://www.myspace.com/meganhamilton

Sky Lounge (261 Pelissier St.)

Terry Thompson

http://www.myspace.com/tendonitist

SUNDAY JULY 29

Riverside Plaza (across from Casino Windsor)

Windsor Pride presents "Pride: Front & Centre"

The B-Girlz (Toronto) wsg Barbara Payton (Detroit)

and The Joys (London)

http://www.b-girlz.com

http://www.myspace.com/barbarapayton

http://www.myspace.com/thejoys

I hope you get out and try to take in some of our fantastic local talent.

Does Windsor have what it takes?

Does Windsor have what it takes to survive in the competition to attract cultural creatives?

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.

Pint Of No Return

It continues to boggle my mind that I can find a restaurant or pub in Windsor that doesn't serve Walkerville beer.

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.

Indies are just plain cooler

Independant retailers shape the character of a neighbourhood. They create a sense of place. They are tourist magnets. I bet you've never heard anyone say "I've got to get to San Francisco - there's a GREAT Starbucks there!", Montreal? "That Tim Horton's on Ste. Catherine's rocks my world!"

Not gonna happen. It's the indies that make the memories.

Independant retailers are members of your community. They belong to your local school board, coach your daughters soccer team and support the local artists. They honestly care about the health of the neighbourhood as much as the health of their business.

It's time we treated them with the respect they deserve.

A 2002 case study in Austin, Texas showed that for every $100 in consumer spending at a national bookstore in Austin, Texas the local economic impact was only $13. The same amount spent at locally based bookstores yielded $45, having more than three times the economic impact.

A 2003 case study of Midcoast Maine covering several lines of goods and services validated these findings. In Maine eight locally owned businesses were surveyed. The survey found that the businesses spent 44.6 percent of their revenue within the surrounding two counties. Another 8.7 percent was spent elsewhere in the state of Maine. The four largest components of this local spending were: wages and benefits paid to local employees; goods and services purchased from other local businesses; profits that accrued to local owners and taxes paid to local and state government. All eight businesses banked locally, used local accountants, advertised in local businesses publications, purchased inventory from local manufacturers, and used local Internet service providers and repair people. The study estimated that a big box retailer returns just 14.1 percent of its revenue to the local economy, mostly in the form of payroll. The rest leaves the state, flowing to out-of-state suppliers and back to corporate headquarters.

Beyond the fact that traditional big-box retail blocks are just plain ugly, they also promote many suburban ills that creep into our urban fabric. The perpetual race-to-the-bottom that has started our local mom-and-pop shops feeling that they must purchase the same cheap, disposable Chinese sweatshop wares to stay competitive. Fighting these "category-killers" by their rules means sure defeat. Local business must retain it's local flavours, while offering quality products if they are to survive. Yes, it will involve some innovative thinking, but the evidence shows that smaller, locally-owned business' know their markets better and are quicker to adapt to a changing market.

So, let the big-butt-ugly-box retailers flame out in the peak-oil hangover that is on the distant horizon. The Walker/Provincial road Legacy Park development will cease to be a profitable enterprise when the SUV-driving unemployed autoworkers figure out that they cannot afford the gas to make it out there to purchase their 69 cent underwear in bulk. Then you will see these chain retailer's committment to Windsor as they pull up their stakes in the looming economic downturn.

I think I'll head down to Taloola Cafe for a coffee now...