Tag Archives: amherstburg

Hear Open Air Barriers Discussion – Deputy Mayor Gibb And Councillor McArthur

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Hear the audio of a portion of the February 22, 2023 meeting and a portion of the discussion about accessibility barriers during the closed streets of Open Air; text is set out below. 

Unofficial transcript:

Deputy Mayor Gibb 
Okay. And as my second thing I wanted to address because I’ve heard that a lot over the last couple days about accessibility of Open Air. I don’t identify as someone with a disability but my mother-in-law and father-in-law both live at Richmond Terrace. And I’ve personally pushed a wheelchair from Richmond, well, one of their each wheelchairs from Richmond Terrace downtown, and I’ll tell you, you cannot believe the relief to be able to get off of our uneven sidewalks with trees growing out of them and all kinds of obstacles. They’re not wide enough. To me, Open Air makes the downtown more accessible for people with in at least in wheelchairs because I’ll tell you right now, try and push a wheelchair down one of those downtown sidewalks and you’ll see exactly what I mean. So we enjoy bringing them for Open Air because we don’t have to worry about trying to maneuver the wheelchair on a narrow uneven sidewalk so that’s I just want to put my two cents in there.

Councillor McArthur
Thank you Your Worship. I mean, I’ll happily champion Open Air when the time comes when the time is right I’m not sure if that time is now though. I mean, the motion on the floor is correct me if I’m wrong, but it’s to boost the you know this tourism budget by $80,000 to fund the True Festival, the car show, the Santa Claus parade, Truth and Reconciliation, River Lights, plus a contingency; we’re not looking for a boost to Open Air funding, correct?

Anne Rota 
That’s correct.

Councillor McArthur 
Okay, so I mean, I think I might keep my powder dry because as things stand right now, Open Air’s a go until someone tries to rip it apart. And I hope they don’t do that and we can discuss that when they do.

Tell Anne Rota there are barriers; email arota@amherstburg.ca

Copy me at theburgwatch at gmail.com

Hear Open Air Barriers Discussion – Councillor Pouget And Anne Rota

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Hear the audio of a portion of the February 22, 2023 meeting and a portion of the discussion about accessibility barriers during the closed streets of Open Air; text is set out below. 

Unofficial transcript:

Councillor Pouget
Okay. And further to that. I really can’t support Open Air three days a week four days on long weekends. Because I can’t tell you how many people have contacted me whether or not they have disabilities because, you know, we’re putting up barriers making it very, very difficult not only for people with disabilities, but for others to use the goods and services that we provide for the town of Amherstburg. And we’re hearing over and over again, just like Councillor Courtney and Councillor Allaire stated that this hurts a lot of the businesses right in the downtown core. They don’t want it and the other people in the other areas McGregor and Malden Centre this doesn’t benefit them at all either. So I cannot justify even if it was a wash about the amount of money due to the fact that it hurts a lot of people and it prevents people with disabilities from using these facilities. I can’t justify three days a week or four days on long weekends.

Anne Rota
Through to you Mr. Mayor, I really want to address the accessibility. That is the wrong information. Yes, we do have what they’re called. No, they’re plastic Jersey barriers, Jersey barrier. Thank you. They are spaced for vehicles not to come into the footprint. We have students at every entrance and exit where the Jersey barriers are. The students staff first of all, they anyone can get through it is assessable. And secondly, if someone needs special assistance, we’ve actually walked them or driven them with the little golf cart, absolutely make sure that everyone can be accommodated to get through and I know I think there’s two handicap parking spots within the Open Air footprint. That’s what is not accessible but the ones beside Caffeine and CO there’s we’ve added another three assessable parking spots there. So we go above and beyond to make sure that is number one that it is accessible. So I don’t agree with that. I’m really sorry.

Councillor Pouget
So, there’s different areas of accessibility somebody could be virtually have problems seeing or whatever, hearing when I see all the streets and they’re packed, and that’s good that they’re packed at that time. But we really expect a caregiver to be able to drop them off, not be able to find parking at all and then to either get in a golf cart, that could be very dangerous to all the pedestrians that are down there, try to squeeze through these places. That is not the way you treat people with disabilities. You treat them with equal opportunity and they don’t have that there.

Anne Rota
Through to you, Mr. Mayor, there are no barriers in Open Air. There are not please come down and have a look. I know that for a fact. It’s not just the golf cart. We’ve actually opened up our arms if someone needs to get through. We’ve never had one complaint. That’s the honest truth in three years, and I’m sure we would have. Thank you.

Tell Anne Rota there are barriers; email arota@amherstburg.ca

Copy me at theburgwatch at gmail.com

Tell Anne Rota There Are Barriers At Open Air

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Anne Rota wanted to address the accessibility issue in response to Councillor Pouget’s accessibility concerns at Open Air. Rota mentioned there are no barriers and ‘we’ve never had one complaint. That’s the honest truth in three years.’

Rota has not responded to my February 24 email wherein I asked if she was referring to the tourism department, the town, or both.

Tell Anne Rota there are barriers; email arota@amherstburg.ca

Copy me at theburgwatch at gmail.com

February 14 Council In-Camera Meeting Video Released

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The Special in-camera meeting that was held for the reason set out below is now available for viewing at the town’s website.

  • That Council move into an In-Camera Meeting of Council pursuant to Section 239 of the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended for the following reasons:

    Item A – Asset Management Training Session
    Section 239(3.1) A meeting held for the purpose of education or training of Members.

Then-Candidates Prue And McArthur On Open Air At Chamber Candidates’ Nights

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Then-candidate Prue mentioned his hope that some of those businesses will contribute; then-candidate McArthur mentioned conditions that are going to allow a hotel to open and flourish in downtown Amherstburg. Excerpts of their speeches are below, as well as links to the Chamber of Commerce videos.

Question from the moderator to the mayoral candidates: What are your views on partnering our tourism department with other municipalities to lower costs?

Michael Prue:

I know it’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but…We need to have a real hard look at that and see whether or not it should continue. If it continues I would hope that some of those businesses will contribute because it should not all fall on the taxpayers. If they are making money off this and they want to have it keep going then they have to shoulder some of that responsibility. But I do think that Open Air is a good thing, and I had a really good suggestion from someone the other day we put up barricades, but there are stores on both sides of the barricades that are not getting business. We should put up big posters at the end to say it doesn’t end here at the barricade. There are stores in this direction in this direction and this direction to make sure everybody has an opportunity to benefit.

Chamber of Commerce YouTube video: Prue’s comments at 2:25:58

Question from the moderator to the councillor candidates: What are your views on the future of Open Air?

Donald McArthur:

My views on this are pretty well known. I love open air weekends. I’ve been a proponent from the start.

If we send a message as council that we believe in the transformative potential of Open Air weekends those are the conditions that are going to allow a hotel to open and flourish in downtown Amherstburg. If there are issues with accessibility, we need to ensure that we have accessible parking spaces on the edge, but we need to invest in open air it needs to continue because it’s fantastic for residents and for our tourists.

Chamber of Commerce YouTube video: McArthur’s comments at 33:58

February 27 Council Meeting – What’s On The Agenda?

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No public consultations were scheduled from the December 5 motion to extend the policing contract deadline to March 31, but action has been taken on another December 5, motion, an RFP for a consultant for the Community Based Strategic Plan was issued, eleven proposals were received, reviewed and now administration is recommending Strategy Corp. Inc. for a proposed $62,625.

  1. Community Based Strategic Plan Development – Selection of Consultant
  2. 2023 Five Year Capital Budget

2023 Open Air – A Done Deal?

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The 2023 Amherstburg Collection Calendar (recycling, garbage & yard waste) indicates ‘Open Air Weekends – Downtown Streets May – October.’ 

I’ve added a red arrow to May and August in the bottom right corner to the notation about Open Air.

The town’s tourism department actively promotes events on social media after decisions are made, so is it really necessary to advertise a tourist event in the waste calendar prior to a decision on the event?

Councillor McArthur’s Open Air Comments Appalling

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I was appalled by Councillor McArthur’s comments during the February 22 Open Air discussion.

I missed part of the meeting because the agenda and link to livestream were not posted on the town’s website but I did check in and found council was discussing the tourism budget.

McArthur’s speech lasted about 5 minutes; Open Air, programming, hotel, the February 21 delegates/ businesses wanting to give the town $20,000, the reception given to them and he was shocked.

How did anyone act like they were urinating on the rug? Listen to the audio. Weren’t members of council just asking the delegates questions?

During the February 21 meeting, Councillor McArthur said everybody he talked to loves Open Air the way it is. He also said he didn’t think that now was the time for speeches on Open Air, that there was no motion on the floor when Councillor Pouget spoke about it.

I emailed him questions: did he not give a speech about the bike trails when there was no motion on the floor? Did he not recall emails I sent to members of council in opposition because it creates barriers to persons with disabilities? Did he only consider the views of people he ‘talked to’ and not consider emails? As council’s rep on the accessibility advisory committee, how will he represent the interests of the disability community?

Councillor McArthur did not respond by the time of writing.

Council Should Honour OPP Costing Motions For Cost Savings

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The two #Amherstburg Council motions pertaining to OPP costing that were never rescinded and stand then-Mayor DiCarlo advised, and council’s February 8, 2023 discussion of Policing, compelled me to write my letter to the editor, River Town Times.

December 2014 motion:
“Administration BE DIRECTED to contact the OPP to obtain police costing for our municipality and
Administration BE DIRECTED to send correspondence to the surrounding municipalities to see if there is interest in shared police services.

January 19, 2017 motion:
Develop an RFP for costing for Windsor and LaSalle to respond to
Explore and analyze possibility of amalgamation with LaSalle and/or Windsor
Work with the OPP on the OPP costing
Report back to Council with the Joint Police AdvisoryCommittee findings and recommendations.

Maybe no delegates were at the meeting because it was not widely advertised, notification emails weren’t received, and it was held at 5 pm on a Wednesday.

I requested council to honour the December 5, 2022 motion to extend the renewal deadline to March 31, 2023; Mayor Prue’s explanation to the public gallery for the extension was so public consultations could be held between December 5 and March.

I pictured public consultations like the original Windsor Police proposal or like those for short-term rentals, Co-An Park, budget, ATV use, Howard Industrial Park District, Warren Mickle Eco Park Project, and Economic Development Community Improvement Plan.

Between December 5 and March 31, council will have had about 25 meetings, but the December 5 motion was only to extend, not schedule public meetings.

Without public consultations no one should claim, as Councillor McArthur has, ‘it’s an indication people are fine with the status quo.’ The survey results were only 1% of 90% of the residents.

As for the savings, the contract renewal is as much a disservice to Amherstburg ratepayers as the original was.

The reported 2023 savings is a paltry $348,441.00, compared to the 2017 suggested annual average savings of $567,802.00 or, as Deputy Mayor Gibb mentioned, around $2 million a year savings with the OPP.

Savings of $1,742,205. over 5 years with Windsor or around $10 million with the OPP – that’s significant savings. Imagine a pool, an accessible town hall, better roads, winterized park washrooms, etc., rather than fundraising for parks, welcoming sponsors or approving over expenditures.

In ten years with Windsor, expected savings of $3,484,410., compared to $20,000,000. with OPP.

While the previous council could have set aside more for police reserves, this current council could have honoured public consultation commitments instead of renewing a contract just because it ran out of time.

It is this council that will need to obtain the promised OPP costing during this term to avoid missing any further deadlines and funding for amenities.

Commentary by Linda Saxon

Some Amherstburg Chamber of Commerce Businesses Want Open Air

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Dan Gemus, president of the Amherstburg Chamber of Commerce and Anne Creery, General Manager of the Chamber presented during February 21, 2023 special council meeting. Gemus mentioned the chamber celebrated its 50th anniversary last year and are at 105 members.

The point was a membership survey about what was important to their needs, and in running their shops.

Anne Creery

Members were asked what they need from the town to be more successful in their business:

  • there was very strong support for an active tourism department that supports festivals all year long, particularly in the winter season and beyond the downtown core.
  • majority support for continuing Open Air weekends in the current format of Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
  • There was zero support for discontinuing them entirely. We asked all of those options. Do you support it in the same format and then in various Friday, Saturday, only, biweekly, monthly, or stop it all together? There was zero support for discontinuing them entirely.

Members were also asked about parking:

  • divided perception on whether parking is an issue or not.
  • As a person that has just relocated back into this area after being in Toronto she thought it becomes an issue of how far are you willing to walk.
  • support for hosting some kind of employee parking lot, particularly during festivals, and there was support for that.
  • open up spaces by having employees park elsewhere, it’s potentially a solution.

Gemus reiterated the survey results showed there is a large support for Open Air to continue in its current Friday, Saturday Sunday.

Councillor Allaire asked how many members answered the survey.

Gemus 105 members and it was over a third response rate.

Allaire asked if these were just businesses in Amherstburg.

Gemus said not necessarily. They do have members that are outside of Amherstburg.

Councillor Crain asked if employee parking during Open Air was feasible?

Mayor Prue provided history of employee parking at General Amherst High School.

Councillor McArthur noted there was 312 public parking spaces within a three minute walking radius of Richmond and Dalhousie and additional 237 parking spaces within six minutes. The employees’ spaces of the downtown businesses at General Amherst weren’t used.

Pouget asked if it was correct that there are 105 members but only 12 members in the downtown core; 27 businesses not members.

Gemus said 30% of the 105 members responded.

Pouget asked if there were only approximately 12 members in the downtown core.

Creery answered that she’d have to go back; she didn’t do the number count that way.

Pouget said of those 27 businesses, overwhelmingly, they responded and sent her emails and phone calls and said the Open Air hurts their business.

Gemus asked of the 27 which businesses?

Pouget answered businesses that are not Chamber members.

Gemus mentioned they were just there to represent Chamber members.

Pouget stated that 27 that are in the downtown core that are not Chamber members have reached out with problems regarding Open Air. That’ was just a small fraction of the number of emails and phone calls that she received that are opposed to the three days being closed for 20 weeks and this is right across Amherstburg: people with disabilities, people that just want to go downtown and enjoy the parks and the restaurants. They don’t feel Open Air is needed and the businesses out in McGregor, on Sandwich Street and in Malden Centre, they don’t benefit from it at all.

Creery mentioned there were businesses outside of the downtown core that said that they would support Open Air and they also asked about having tourism programming that was outside of the downtown core too and consider looking at festivals outside of the downtown core. But there was support from outside of the core for downtown or for Open Air from our members.

Pouget stated she didn’t receive any of those; she only received the complaints.

McArthur He just didn’t think that now was the time for speeches on Open Air; there was no motion on the floor but for the record he wanted to say that he’s clearly talking to different people than Councillor Pouget because everybody he talked to loves Open Air the way it is.

Allaire moved to receive. Carried.