The City of Windsor has developed a seven-point action plan to "strengthen the core" and revitalize downtown.
The seven pillars included in the plan are: safe streets, high property standards, healthy spaces, place-making, creating a vibrant district, implementing an "our downtown" marketing strategy, and establishing a formal channel for community and stakeholder feedback.
"Our Strengthen the Core plan is about addressing safety concerns, cleaning up the downtown and implementing measures to encourage new investments in the core, and supporting activations that will inspire residents and businesses to locate downtown, and attract new investments from private investors,” said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens
While the overall plan will take many years to implement, there are several immediate action items that will be proposed at the next Windsor City Council meeting on May 13.
To improve downtown safety, the plan recommends hiring 12 additional Windsor Police officers to implement the City Central Patrol Team and increasing police auxiliary.
To enforce high property standards the plan proposes hiring a dedicated bylaw enforcement officer for downtown, increasing fines for unkept properties, and providing incentives to stimulate activation of vacant store fronts.
The plan also recommends hiring a economic development project lead and extending the hours of the Homelessness and Housing Help Hub.
If approved, the immediate action items would cost a total of $3,239,878 or an increase of 0.7 per cent of the 2024 Operations budget.
"Nothing good is free," said Ward 3 Councillor Renaldo Agostino. "I promise, you will see a return on this investment. It's going to take a few years, it's going to take time, it's going to take a lot of hard work but you'll get your money back and then some."
An additional $1 million is already included in the capital budget to improve lighting, increase garbage receptacles and improve streetscaping in the downtown core.
The plan was developed after the city engaged Strategy Corp to lead a consultation process with stakeholders and the public.