Attempting to make west side the best side
By Paul Breschuk
Feature Writer
November 11, 2009
Windsor’s West End has always fought the stigma of being dangerous and crime-ridden, the proverbial bad side of town. To many Windsorites, the words “West End” seem to harbour connotations of fear and apprehension. This is only true for non-West End residents, of course, as generalizations, segregative thinking, and over-active imaginations breed exaggerated worries. In this instance, the sheer otherness of Windsor’s Wild West is often cause alone for these unrealistic notions and misguided beliefs. But what is the true cause for this lopsided opinion?
With Windsor’s historical development moving from west to east, there has always been the notion that crime, while inevitable, would travel a few paces behind. In this way, as seen with most suburban development, Windsor is a city trying to escape itself.
Thus, as criminal activity from the old city sectors move eastward, the West End became known by default as the source of crime. With Windsor’s ongoing eastern expansion, this sociological phenomenon, whether arbitrary or not, is likely to continue long after this article.
Mariano Klimowicz of The Windsor West Home Owners Association, agrees with this assessment. Though, to help return a sense of unity to the city, he stresses that Windsor should be thought of as a whole. While there are problems in every neighbourhood throughout the city, “it is easy to pick on the West End because it has the longest history,” said Klimowicz. “But you must not kill your root foundation and expect to survive. Instead, you must grow your roots to build cohesiveness across the city.”
Of course, recent events in Sandwich Town, such as the two September shootings, haven’t helped improve West Windsor’s appearance to the rest of the city. Instead, they further ingrain that age-old fear of the community on the wrong side of the tracks, or Ouellette, for that matter.
With news of these crimes come the familiar reactions, a rhetoric of fear that is mirrored back to the media from its eastern audiences. The flames of the debate are then sparked anew, with fingers pointed at the police, politicians, and the West End residents themselves. It should be noted, however, that these shootings were not the random acts of violence that have been seen downtown in the rash of Pelissier Street shootings, for example.
Statistically, crime has been decreasing in recent years, with an even spread throughout the city. Klimowicz contends that “crimes are usually random and do not manifest themselves for specific areas. Crimes do not predicate social affluence of income, education or environment. Instead, criminals prey on association and opportunity equally in every area.”
However, West Windsor has seen an increase of by-law infractions such as parking vehicles on lawns, excessive noise from house parties, the piling of garbage, public mischief from young party revelers, a lack of upheld property standards by landlords and renters, and illegal occupancy of basements and attics against the fire code.
Changing demographics
Much attention has been raised to this issue following the recent 700-person keg party fiasco hosted by the Delta Chi fraternity. In small-town fashion it made big news, covering the front page of the Windsor Star in all of its intoxicated glory.
Perhaps the hype over such a party is the necessary catalyst for change, with Windsor Police Staff Sgt. Dave Kigar being quoted in describing it as “the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
The Sept. 25 keg party has since lead Councilor Ron Jones in forming a “town and gown,” which partners into dialogue with the university, campus police, students, residents, landlords, and politicians. Though, it is clear that more needs to be done to target the root cause of such instability in the West End.
These problems are indicative of a changing demographic in the area, due in part to its proximity to the university, as well as poor urban planning. What the area now sees is a current influx of young adult renters along with the exodus of home-owning families.
School closings, such as the one that saw the demise of The Prince of Wales school in 1995, are of particular importance to Klimowicz. “Once you close an elementary school the cards are dealt for families with children. They have no choice but to move to another area that provides education.”
He goes on to explain the domino effect that is produced in the aftermath of these moves, with landlords swooping in to purchase homes that were once single family residences, turning them into income properties. “The landlords tend to purchase them en mass as an empire of rental units. Then some do not keep property standards to code for safety and we all end up suffering,” said Klimowicz.
Solutions
Clearly, West Windsor needs a breath of fresh air, a change in course that includes the revitalization of its businesses and residential sectors. The Windsor West Home Owners Association has recently put forth a solution that addresses these concerns, emphasizing the need for an urban village in Sandwich Town.
Talks are now underway with the city’s urban planning department and will soon emerge in committee and public forums. The goal is to attract partnerships in all aspects of the urban village concept, uniting the role of student residences, the university, commerce, public service, green space, and all levels of government.
Smaller stories have also emerged from this turnaround, impacting the lives of residents on the grassroots level. While plans for an urban village will facilitate positive changes on a large scale, programs such as the one found at Border City Boxing (BCB) aim to provide solutions on an a more personal level.
Working with several local schools, as well as Windsor’s New Beginnings program, BCB has included a community outreach facet to its organization. James Canty, vice principle of W. F Herman Secondary School and coach at BCB, explains, “My goal in the sport of boxing is to give others a chance to excel and to use success in the ring as a springboard for other successes.”
By giving troubled youths an outlet to release negative emotions, as well as providing an atmosphere of guidance and mentorship, Canty hopes to steer potential criminals away from a life spent on the streets or in jail.
“It is our responsibility as the leaders of our communities today to ensure that our children have productive activities in which to participate. If we fail at this, they will most certainly find unproductive ways of spending their time,” said Canty.
As the recent Sandwich shootings are dramatic examples of unproductive usages of time, it becomes clear that the kind of work Canty does in the ring can mean something as important as saving a life on the street.
Check back next week for an in-depth analysis of Sandwich Town’s proposed urban village, Canty’s Border City Boxing, the freeing of Huron Church Rd. by way of the new DRIC border crossing, and other hopeful stories that aim to change the public’s perception of the West End. |
