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February 2016
Welcome to the Windsor Update.

This e-newsletter is provided by the Corporation of the City of Windsor.  Our hope is to share a selection of stories that Windsorites either need to know, should know, or might just like to know about in our community.

In each issue, we’ll update you about events and schedules, meetings and announcements, and more. We’ll profile plans we’re working on and offer a variety of opportunities to share your own feedback.

The Windsor Update joins our website citywindsor.ca, our municipal Facebook page, our Twitter account, and our YouTube channel as some of the ways we’re engaging with you and communicating the great things happening in our city. We encourage you to create your own direct connection by signing up, “friending,” “following” and “liking” each of these opportunities for engagement.

The Windsor Update will be a monthly publication to start, but with room to grow.

Thanks for your interest in our community, and please feel free to let us know what you think of our newsletter!

Council Minutes


For a quick overview of Council discussions and decisions from each Council meeting please check out the Council Minutes on our website.
 
Upcoming City Council Meetings

Chimczuk Museum Now Open

Windsor’s latest downtown attraction is now open!

The 11,000-square-foot Chimczuk Museum was officially opened by Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens and members of City Council, along with a host of dignitaries and well-wishers today at a special ribbon cutting ceremony.

“Our Chimczuk Museum is a tremendous attraction with so much rich history to share,” said Mayor Drew Dilkens.  “And now, between our new museum; the Art Gallery of Windsor; the François Baby House; the Capitol Theatre, home of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra; and our beautiful aquatics complex, we have a host of top quality family attractions for residents and visitors alike—all within our downtown core.”

The Chimczuk Museum occupies the main floor of 401 Riverside Drive West, while the Art Gallery of Windsor occupies floors two and three.

Funding sources for the $5.7 million project included nearly $2 million from the Government of Canada’s Canada Cultural Spaces Fund, over $3.3 million from the bequest of Joseph Chimczuk, and the remainder from the City of Windsor’s Capital Budgets.  The Provincial Government also contributes to operations through the Community Museum Operating Grant.

As part of the project, Windsor’s Community Museum has rebranded to reflect its expanded scope.  “Museum Windsor” encompasses the François Baby House, the Chimczuk Museum and the Interpretive Centre at the Duff-Baby House in Sandwich.

With the grand opening happening during heritage week, Museum Officials have rolled out the red carpet with tours and special programming at the Chimczuk Museum and Maison François Baby House, as well as the Art Gallery of Windsor, today (18th) and Saturday (20th). Both days are offered free to the public. To learn more, visit www.museumwindsor.ca.
 

TWEPI Announces Best of Windsor Essex

Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island (TWEPI) is pleased to announce the winners of the first ever Best of Windsor Essex, a new campaign that ran from November to December 2015 with the ambitious goal of putting together the most comprehensive list of the “Best Of” things to see and do in the region.

The Best of Windsor Essex campaign engaged local residents and visitors to share their favorite attractions and drew a tremendous response during phase I, with over 1,000 people filling out a 61-question survey, nominating over 3,500 businesses. Those nominations were then pared down into the top five in each category. Phase II then began with over 3,000 people voting again on the top 5 in each category for their favorite spots in Windsor Essex – where they like to eat, shop, dine and play.

At an Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, February 17th, 2016, winners received commemorative plaques and a letter of congratulations. Winners will also be listed in TWEPI’s 2016/17 Official Visitor Guide and TWEPI’s micro-site, www.bestofwindsoressex.ca, will feature a mini-profile and photo of each winner and a highlight of the top 5 finalists per category.

It’s Never Too Late to be an Angel!

Our recent snowfall is a gentle reminder that we are still in need of Snow Angels. The Snow Angels program matches volunteer snow shovellers from the community with seniors and persons with physical disabilities living in Windsor.

Not only is snow build-up a potential hazard to those with limited mobility, but it also makes it difficult for service providers like police and fire, mail carriers, and meter readers to do their jobs safely and efficiently.

Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older. It’s a great way for high school students to round out their 40-hour Community Involvement requirement.

As an added incentive again this year, all registered volunteers will be entered into a draw to win an iPad or one of five full-year passes to Adventure Bay Family Water Park Presented by WFCU.

Please call 311 for more information or to register. Information is also available at www.citywindsor.ca

Get Ready For Open Streets Windsor

Join us for the largest free recreation program in the city's history!

In 2016, designated streets in the City of Windsor will be temporarily closed to traffic and open to people of all ages, abilities, social, economic backgrounds to enjoy. (See dates below)

What is Open Streets About?​

Open Streets are unique events that have been held in over 100 cities in North America and involve the temporary closure of roadways to vehicular traffic, allowing people to use them for a host of healthy and fun physical activities like walking, cycling, yoga, dancing and fitness.

The goals of Open Streets Windsor are to:

  • Encourage active transportation and physical activity;

  • Encourage community building activities;

  • Promote community-led active living initiatives;

  • Showcase recently improved streetscapes;

  • Provide an opportunity for local businesses and organizations to participate along the route.

When Does Open Streets Windsor Take Place?
Open Streets Windsor will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the following days:
  • Sunday, July 17, 2016
  • Sunday, September 18, 2016
What is the Proposed Route?

See map of the route (click to enlarge):

Route map thumbnail

How Can I Get Involved?

The proposed route spans approximately 8 kilometres, so the opportunities for community involvement are vast.

If you are interested in volunteering, please complete an Open Streets Windsor Volunteer Form.

If you are a business or organization that would like to be involved in Open Streets Windsor, please complete an Expression of Interest.

Applications are also currently being accepted for the Arts, Culture & Heritage Fund. The City of Windsor's Arts, Culture and Heritage Fund (ACHF) invests in the soul of our City by providing financial assistance to locally-developed arts, culture and heritage projects that provide exciting, surprising and meaningful opportunities to strengthen our creative community.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter and use #OSWindsor to be a part of the conversation.

To learn more about Open Streets:

For general information, call 311. For detailed inquiries, contact us at:

Open Streets Windsor
c/o Planning Department
Suite 404, 400 City Hall Square East
Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9A 7K6
Phone: (519) 255-6543
Email: openstreets@citywindsor.ca ​​​

Fire Chief Recognized For Exceptional Career

Recognized in front of over 300 Fire Chiefs from across the country for a career of leadership, innovative programming and dedication to the fire service, Bruce Montone received the 2016 Fire Chief of the Year award at the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs Annual Conference. Although Montone has only spent a brief period of his 40 year career in Windsor, he has been responsible for creating and delivering a number of fire safety initiatives and programs that are considered standard now and used in many departments across the country.


While at the province, Chief Montone participated in establishing a Provincial Critical Incident Stress Peer Driven and Clinician Guided Response for Emergency Responders and helped set up the Fire Protection and Prevention Act. He utilized his acute evaluation skills and Change Management experience to offer improvement to municipal fire services and the creation of several new fire services in Ontario. While in Ottawa, in addition to the challenges of the amalgamation of 11 former municipalities and 9 fire services, he first implemented innovative accommodation and modified work programs to the fire service to assist fire service staff to return to work. The new approach of the “Wake-up get a working smoke alarm” program he pioneered has seen massive improvement in the use of Smoke Alarms in Ontario communities. 

While he has had his challenges in Windsor, he has been able to reorganize the department with station closings, station openings and the creation of moved stations. His most recent community based undertaking of Wellness checks by on-duty staff to those most vulnerable in the community will certainly be next success that will catch-on across the country.

New Online Events Calendar Ready To Go

If you've visited the City website at www.citywindsor.ca recently, you may have noticed a newly designed Events Calendar feature on our home page. The City of Windsor now offers a single source to meet all of your calendar-related needs in a simple and user friendly format, thanks in part to a partnership with official sponsors, snapd Windsor.

Municipal Calendar: This calendar lists municipal events offered by the City of Windsor (e.g. public meetings, open houses, etc.). Listings to this calendar are posted by City staff, and the listing will grow over time to include a wide variety of municipal dates to remember.

Community Events: Thanks to a sponsorship from snapd Windsor, we are able to provide this by/for the community and offer a listing of events from across the region. Submission to this calendar is free to anybody in the community and just requires an account to be set up on the snapd Windsor website.

“For two years, snapd Windsor has been spreading a truly positive image of our community and the people that make it great,” said Mayor Drew Dilkens. “We are very proud to have such a thorough and thoroughly positive listing on our website for the benefit of our residents and visitors, and we thank snapd for helping us to make it happen.”

Waste and Recycling Calendar: This new and improved map-based collection calendar offers helpful information on a range of collections that take place throughout the year, from regular recycling to Christmas tree pickups and more.

Visit www.citywindsor.ca and check out the new Events Calendar today!

Windsor’s Community Museum

Gibbet irons were used at the Sandwich jail until 1830. After a convicted criminal was executed, the law demanded that the corpse be place in these gibbet irons and hung from a pole for public display. The unpleasant sight and smell of the rotting flesh was meant to deter potential law breakers. Gift of Macdonald Historical Collection.

Take A Survey


The City of Windsor conducts surveys as a means of soliciting ideas and opinions from residents so we can better serve the community as a whole.  Check back often to see if a new survey is ready for your input.




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The new Activity Guide is here! Check it out online at reconnectwindsor.ca or visit one of our many Customer Care Centres to pick up a copy. Register for adult, parent & tot, pre-school, and youth classes today!
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