‘Made for Windsor’ — Some most notable city council 2024 decisions

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From millions in new spending for downtown revitalization to a lawsuit against the federal government, Windsor city council made hundreds of political decisions in 2024.

Here are some decision highlights from a busy year around the council table:

Jan. 22 — Despite pushback from Ottawa, council largely reaffirmed its original application to the federal Housing Accelerator Fund. It refused to permit fourplexes on all residential lots as-of-right, a late-addition requirement to secure roughly $30 million from the feds. As a result, Housing Minister Sean Fraser denied Windsor’s funding application.

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Feb. 2 — Four days after council deliberations and without any vetoes from Mayor Drew Dilkens, the city finalizes its first budget under strong mayor legislation with a 3.91 per cent 2024 property tax increase.

March 1 — Dilkens is joined by several councillors to announce the city’s Housing Solutions Made for Windsor strategy: offering up multiple city-owned properties for private residential development. During an in-camera meeting in February, council voted to pursue housing at the former W.D. Lowe Secondary School building, the Pelissier Street parking lot, the Caron Avenue parking lot, the Roseland Golf and Curling Club clubhouse and parking lot, the former Grace Hospital site, and the former Windsor Arena building.

April 30 — The city announces council decision to expropriate a 7.14-acre property at 700 Wellington Ave. and build a permanent Homelessness and Housing Help Hub (H4). A temporary H4 facility, which offers wraparound services to homeless people, continues at the former Windsor Water World building, 400 Wyandotte St. E. The new hub’s construction is expected to cost $50 million or more.

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May 13 — City council unanimously passes Strengthen the Core, a seven-part strategy to revitalize Windsor’s downtown and change a perception of it being unsafe and unattractive. The plan’s implementation costs roughly $4.2 million.

The 2024 city budget adopted earlier included $1 million for capital expenses related to downtown improvements and a community improvement plan review. Council on May 13 approves additional $3.2 million for 12 dedicated core officers and extended hours at H4, among other things.

June 10 — With the mayor breaking a 5-5 split vote, council supports spending $15.46 million on an ice rink just north of city hall, roughly $6 million more than council had previously approved. Construction on the 26-by-60-metre oval-shaped loop is underway.

June 10 — Windsor approves doubling the number of cameras used on city streets to target and ticket red-light runners. Administrators advised council that the existing 10 red light cameras had successfully reduced collisions at accident-prone intersections.

Tickets for running red lights are $325 and are sent to the registered plate holder of the vehicle who receives the ticket, regardless of who was behind the wheel.

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Sept. 24 — Council unanimously votes to support MP Brian Masse’s (NDP — Windsor West) efforts to keep hazardous materials off the Ambassador Bridge. The move came in response to a decision by the Michigan Department of Transportation to lift restrictions on the transportation of Class 3 and Class 8 substances across the 95-year-old bridge. Windsor councillors expressed concern about the bridge’s ability to transport hazmat without approval from Transport Canada.

Nov. 4 — Dilkens announces a unanimous closed-door council decision to sue the federal government for $900,491 in outstanding expenses the City of Windsor incurred during the Ambassador Bridge blockade — expenses Ottawa says are ineligible for reimbursement.

Nov. 25 — In a unanimous decision, council agrees to spend roughly $10.5 million to replace the Charles Brooks Memorial Peace Fountain — an iconic feature of Windsor’s Reaume Park — with a floating lookalike. The new fountain, which will have LED lighting and propel water up to 21 metres in the air, is expected to be in the water by 2027 at the latest.

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Nov. 25 — Council awards the tender for the first phase of the reimagining of University Avenue West from McEwan Avenue to Salter Avenue. The work is expected to cost around $19.5 million and see the underused roadway reduced from four lanes to two. Boulevards, wide sidewalks, and protected bike lanes are among additions in store for the stretch of street.

Dec. 9 — Using federal funding from the Reaching Home program, council agrees to temporarily operate an overnight warming centre at H4, which previously closed at midnight. The decision turns the downtown hub into a 24/7 shelter for the 2024-25 cold season.

tcampbell@postmedia.com

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