“The Roof is on Fire”
The Ontario Municipal Board, Windsor’s Committee of Adjustment and the local Planning Department are all following the piper’s tune towards allowing smoking on the roof of the Boom Boom Room ; a downtown kiddy bar. What does that do for Windsor’s collective intelligence quotient? “We can’t smoke in the house so we’ll smoke on it”.
It’s just the sort of idea which you want to implement in a downtown core which can’t seem to shake its adolescent culture. Ours is a downtown where on any weekend night you can find local bar patrons wizzing over the side of the parking garages onto the sidewalks below or engaging in oral affections of all kinds in the nearby alleys. It wasn’t that long ago that one such patron decided to scale the central parking ramp at Municipal Garage 1 (Goyeau and Chatham). He fell from the fifth deck and messed himself up pretty bad. That’s the kind of keen judgment we’re talking about.
The master brainchild of this brilliance might be wise to ponder it a while longer. Does he really want to allow mental giants like this to hang out on his roof? Catering to a breed on the edge of extinction (smokers) is always a costly and iffy affair. Not long ago many restaurants opted to spend tens of thousands of dollars to build self contained smoking areas in their establishments (the Tunnel Barbecue comes to mind). One has to wonder if they made their ROI? Not!
It’s all OK in the end though because the concept has been blessed by the all mighty OMB and Windsor’s illustrious Planning Department. They probably can’t wait to see teenage girls flashing their booty from the roof top or some wannabe Rocky the Flying Squirrel launching into flight.
Common sense may not prevail in this but maybe the insurance companies might yet have something to say. Aw Heck…Maybe the next great fire of Windsor might be a good thing. The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire…
The Ontario Municipal Board, Windsor’s Committee of Adjustment and the local Planning Department are all following the piper’s tune towards allowing smoking on the roof of the Boom Boom Room ; a downtown kiddy bar. What does that do for Windsor’s collective intelligence quotient? “We can’t smoke in the house so we’ll smoke on it”.
It’s just the sort of idea which you want to implement in a downtown core which can’t seem to shake its adolescent culture. Ours is a downtown where on any weekend night you can find local bar patrons wizzing over the side of the parking garages onto the sidewalks below or engaging in oral affections of all kinds in the nearby alleys. It wasn’t that long ago that one such patron decided to scale the central parking ramp at Municipal Garage 1 (Goyeau and Chatham). He fell from the fifth deck and messed himself up pretty bad. That’s the kind of keen judgment we’re talking about.
The master brainchild of this brilliance might be wise to ponder it a while longer. Does he really want to allow mental giants like this to hang out on his roof? Catering to a breed on the edge of extinction (smokers) is always a costly and iffy affair. Not long ago many restaurants opted to spend tens of thousands of dollars to build self contained smoking areas in their establishments (the Tunnel Barbecue comes to mind). One has to wonder if they made their ROI? Not!
It’s all OK in the end though because the concept has been blessed by the all mighty OMB and Windsor’s illustrious Planning Department. They probably can’t wait to see teenage girls flashing their booty from the roof top or some wannabe Rocky the Flying Squirrel launching into flight.
Common sense may not prevail in this but maybe the insurance companies might yet have something to say. Aw Heck…Maybe the next great fire of Windsor might be a good thing. The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire…
6 comments:
You obviously know more about the downtown and its issues than anyone else. Probably the type who sits on the line at fords makes $35 and does nothing but complain all day.
Anonymous...Your obvious hatred for the good people who work at "Fords" [sic] does nothing to attract them to the downtown core. I hope that you are not a member of the downtown BIA because that is certainly not how new business is promoted.
The problems which our downtown is experiencing are certainly not a secret to anyone. Misunderstanding that fact might also be fatal. Why don't you try again.
Enough with your complaining Derby ! The neighbourhood is tired of your verbal diarhea.
Mr. Derby didn't express any complaint. Only comentary. Very politely.
You might take a lesson from this. Foul and pointless response isn't necessary.
I certainly hope that you do not represent the DBIA because you are obviously only concerned about yourself with no vision for the greater community.
Just some corrections, the city, OMB really had no choice but to allow a rooftop patio as it is a building code issue.
No other jurisdiction on the planet has ever tried to ban a rooftop patio, so there was no justification to do so here.
Banning or allowing Rooftop patio's will not change Downtowns image either way. The Casino has bar patio's above the main floor so why should local businesses be denied the same since they have to compete.
We have to manage and control our bar industry and not think that simply waving a regulation wand will magically solve our problems. The DWBIA supports the creation of a hospitality resource panel and has been waiting for the past year for the city to respond as to whether they will support it.
You can find out the solutions to all of our downtown bar problems by delving into the website
http://www.hospitalityweb.org/
Another way to change our image is the creation of natural districts including an arts and cultural district bounded by the art gallery, university ave, Oullette and Riverside. That way instead of being ashamed of a successful entertainment industry we can boast about it as well as boasting about our arts and cultural district that includes dozens of amazing restaurants for those who want something else.
Mark Boscariol
The last comment is very presumptuous. Casino patrons are adults. No comparison to kids who like shouting obscenities and tossing beer bottles. They also provide proper security just in case.
I don't see where or how the casino factors in as competion to kids bars. If anything it provides a positive symbiotic function.
"Districts"! Thats self serving hooey from the existing bar and club owners. The entire downtown area has to be an appropriate and acceptable mix of all kinds of venues from entertainment and dining to retail and commerce. (covering all demographics) This is the diversity which makes all downtowns effective, successful and attractive. Municipal Planning has to play a stepped up role here with huge help from the city population at large otherwise our downtown will go monotone.
No one is ashamed of entertainment. We are ashamed of gum spackled sidewalks, puke and half eaten food strewn about and senseless litter. With a more diverse culture there would also be no need for such a large police presence either. Lets face it. The are there only because of cause and effect (drunken teens).
It sounds like this group wants to monopolize Ouellette Avenue. Perhaps its time for the general population to start paying more attention to whats going on downtown. Maybe its time to get more civic participation in this group.
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