We Are In This Together

Dear West-End Residents:

Over the past week we have seen what a group of residents can do when they work together. On Thursday, October 13 we held a community town hall meeting where over 50 residents from the Bridgeview area attended and were given a presentation along with having questions answered from both Windsor Police and City of Windsor Administration.

Issues such as park lights, crime, traffic and parking, bylaw enforcement and nuisance control were all discussed. In addition to asking questions and engaging in meaningful conversation, residents had the opportunity to write down any concerns and submit them directly to the appropriate authority who were present.

The media really jumped on this. The Windsor Star, AM800, CBC Radio and CBC Television all covered this story, along with other media sources. They particularly credited our grass-roots organization and how we were able to take our issues into our own hands.

Last night my vehicle was broken into for the second time this year on the 1000 block of California. My passenger door window was shattered but luckily I did not have any valuables that were worth stealing. I immediately reported the crime to the Windsor Police once I found out and told several neighbours earlier Sunday morning. Fortunately, I was the only person on my street that had their car broken into.

Despite this recent encounter, I remain optimistic; I remain hopeful because of what has transpired over this past week. I know that the changes we seek in our neighbourhoods and in our west-end will not come easy, but I also know that for us to realize these changes, we must come together and work together and take ownership of our community. That is our only choice. By working with Windsor Police, the city of Windsor and with each other, we can forge ahead and overcome the challenges and meet the opportunities before us.

When my car is broken into, that affects the safety of residents not just on my street, but in our west-end. When a house is borded up in Sandwich Towne, that affects our quality of life. When irresponsible landlords erode our neighbourhoods, or when bylaws are not enforced, or when our parks are no longer safe, that affects all of our property values. When a school shuts down on Wyandotte St. W. or Peter St., that affects the small businesses and families all across our west-end. We are all interconnected, both socially and economically. We are all in this together, and only we are the ones who can reclaim our streets, our neighbourhoods, and our west-end.

Let what happened this week be an example of how ordinary citizens can do extraordinary things when they work together.

Sincerely,

Fabio Costante

In case you missed some of our media coverage, see the two links below.

Residents tackle west-end park problem

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Local_News/Windsor/1317913355/ID=2153232576

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