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Council approves $20 million master plan to remake Windsor's Riverfront Festival Plaza

am800-news-riverfront-festival-plaza-may-2018
am800-news-riverfront-festival-plaza-may-2018

City council has approved a master plan that calls for a $20 million upgrade to Windsor's Riverfront Festival Plaza.

Council voted Monday for the Dynamic Destination Design—one of three options up for consideration and the option recommended by administration.

The most expensive of three options, the master plan calls for four distinct zones to support a variety of events and activities.

Key features include green spaces and walking paths, two modern shade structures, two water features, a platform that can be used as a second stage, and the opportunity for a centrepiece, such as a seasonal Christmas tree.

Council voted 8-3 in favour of the master plan, with Ward 1 Councillor Fred Francis, Ward 2 Councillor Fabio Costante, and Ward 7 Councillor Angelo Marignani voting against it.

Francis spoke out against the cost to the residents of the City of Windsor, noting that entrepreneurs, promoters, and business people in support of this are not putting their money at play here.

One of the points of being an entrepreneur is assuming that risk. Let the government get out of your way and let me go into business and let me achieve what I can achieve on my own merit. I'm not looking for a handout. That's what it means to be an entrepreneur; you're assuming the risk. Who's assuming the risk here? The residents of the City of Windsor are assuming the risk," he says.

Ward 3 Councillor Renaldo Agostino told council that there is no financial commitment today; the decision is based on a vision.

"If we don't send our people out there to shoot for the best, it's like going to your kids and saying, 'Go to school and get me a C. Get me a D minus. Make it work!' No, we want an A plus. Option 1 is our A plus, and that's why I'm supporting option 1." he says.

Option one for the Windsor Riverfront Festival makeover called the Dynamic Destination Design
Option one for the Windsor Riverfront Festival makeover called the Dynamic Destination Design
Council was told that some people avoid the current Festival Plaza due to the heat in the summer and the size of the property not always being suitable for smaller events.

James Chacko, the current executive director of parks and facilities, says they envision this space would be able to be used 365 days a year for events large and small, along with day-to-day community use and programming by having a space that's welcoming.

"As opposed to, as I believe many people have noted, it's basically an asphalt jungle at its current time, and it's a heat island that people don't want to spend a great deal of time in. A large part of the design was looking at how to remediate that and design a space that people would want to be inviting to people to attend on their lunch or part of a larger event on the weekend," he says.

While the master plan has been approved, it could be several years before any action is taken at the site.

Currently, there is just over $12 million in funding approved in principle in the 2024 Capital Budget, but additional funding would be required to implement the plan.

Administration is being directed to explore additional funding as part of a future capital budget process.