January 16, 2009

MITCH ALBOM ON DETROIT


The Courage of Detroit

Over the Christmas Holidays Mitch Albom was invited by Sports Illustrated magazine to write something about the plight and pulse of Detroit. A lot of it touches Windsor too. Here it is:

This was Christmas night. In the basement of a church off an icy street in downtown Detroit, four dozen homeless men and women sat at tables. The smell of cooked ham wafted from the kitchen. The pastor, Henry Covington, a man the size of two middle linebackers, exhorted the people with a familiar chant.
"I am somebody," he yelled.
"I am somebody!" they repeated.
"Because God loves me!"
"Because God loves me!"
They clapped. They nodded.
A toddler slept on a woman's shoulder. Another woman, holding a boy who looked to be about four, said she was lucky to have found this place open because "I been to three shelters, and they turned me away. They were all filled."
As she spoke, a few blocks to the south, cars pulled up to the Motor City Casino, one of three downtown gambling palaces whose neon flashes in stark contrast to the area's otherwise empty darkness. Sometimes, on a winter night, all that seems to be open around here is the casino, a liquor store and the pastor's kitchen, in the basement of this church. It used to be a famous church, home to the largest Presbyterian congregation in the upper Midwest. That was a long time ago -- before a stained-glass window was stolen and the roof developed a huge hole. Now, on Sundays, the mostly African-American churchgoers of the I Am My Brother's Keeper Ministries huddle in a small section of the sanctuary that is enclosed in plastic sheeting, because they can't afford to heat the rest.
As food was served to the line of homeless people, I watched from a rickety balcony above. My line of work is writing, partly sportswriting, but I come here now and then to help out a little. This church needs help. It leaks everywhere. Melted snow drips into the vestibule.
"Hey," someone yelled, "who the Lions gonna draft?"
I looked down. A thin man with a scraggly black beard was looking back. He scratched his face. "A quarterback, you think?"
Probably, I answered.
"Whatchu think about a defensive end?"
That would be nice.
"Yeah." He bounced on his feet. "That'd be nice."
He waited for his plate of food. In an hour, he would yank a vinyl mattress from a pile and line it up next to dozens of others. Then the lights would dim and, as snow fell outside, he and the other men would pull up wool blankets and try to sleep on the church floor.
This is my city.
"Them Lions gotta do somethin', man," he yelled. "Can't go on the way they are."


And yet...
And yet Detroit was once a vibrant place, the fourth-largest city in the country, and it lives in the hope that those days, against all logic, will somehow return. We are downtrodden, perhaps, but the most downtrodden optimists you will ever meet. We cling to our ways, no matter how provincial they seem on the coasts. We get excited about the Auto Show. We celebrate Sweetest Day. We eat Coney dogs all year and we cruise classic cars down Woodward Avenue every August and we bake punchki donuts the week before Lent. We don't talk about whether Detroit will be fixed but when Detroit will be fixed.
And we are modest. In truth, we battle an inferiority complex. We gave the world the automobile. Now the world wants to scold us for it. We gave the world Motown music. Motown moved its offices to L.A. When I arrived 24 years ago, to be a sports columnist at the Detroit Free Press, I discovered several letters waiting for me at the office. Mind you, I had not written a word. My hiring had been announced, that's all. But there were already letters. Handwritten. And they all said, in effect, "Welcome to Detroit. We know you won't stay long, because nobody good stays for long, but we hope you like it while you're here."
Nobody good stays for long.
We hope you like it while you're here.
How could you not stay in a city like that?
And yet...And yet to live in Detroit these days is to want to scream. But where do you begin? Our doors are being shuttered. Our walls are falling down. Our daily bread, the auto industry, is reduced to morsels. Our schools are in turmoil. Our mayor went to jail. Our two biggest newspapers announced they will soon cut home delivery to three days a week. Our most common lawn sign is FOR SALE. And our NFL team lost every week this season. A perfect 0-16. Even the homeless guys are sick of it.
We want to scream, but we don't scream, because this is not a screaming place, this is a swallow-hard-and-deal-with-it place. So workers rise in darkness and rev their engines against the winter cold and drive to the plant and punch in and spend hours doing the work that America doesn't want to do any more, the kind that makes something real and hard to the touch. Manufacturing. Remember manufacturing? They do that here. And then they punch out and drive home (three o'clock is rush hour in these parts, the end of a shift) and wash up and touch the kids under the chin and sit down for dinner and flip on the news.


And then they really want to scream.
Because what they see -- what all Detroit sees -- is a nation that appears ready to flick us away like lint. We see senators voting our death sentence. We see bankers clucking their tongues at our business model (as if we invented the credit default swap!). We see Californians knock our cars for ruining the environment (as if their endless driving has nothing to do with it). We see sports announcers call our football team "ridiculous." Heck, during the Lions' annual Thanksgiving game, CBS's Shannon Sharpe actually wore a bag over his head.
It hurts us. We may not show it, but it does. You can say, "Aw, that's the car business" or "That's the Lions," but we are the car business, we are the Lions. Our veins are right up under the city's skin -- you cut Detroit, its citizens bleed.
We want to scream, but we don't scream. Still, enough people declare you passé, a dinosaur, a dying town, out of touch with the free-market global economic machine, and pretty soon you wonder if they're right. You wonder if you should join the exodus.

And yet...
And yet I had an idea once for a sports column: Get the four biggest stars from Detroit's four major sports together in one place, for a night out. The consensus cast at the time (1990) was clear. Barry Sanders was the brightest light on the Lions. Steve Yzerman was Captain Heartthrob for the Red Wings. Joe Dumars was the most popular of the Pistons. And Cecil Fielder was the big bat for the Tigers.
All four agreed to meet at Tiger Stadium, before a game. I picked up Dumars at his house. He was alone. No entourage. Next we went for Sanders, who waited in the Silverdome parking lot, by himself, hands in pockets. When he got in, the two future Hall of Famers nodded at each other shyly. "Hey, man," Barry said.
"Hey, man," Joe answered.
At the stadium Yzerman, who drove himself, joined us, hands also dug in his pockets. As conversations go, it was like the first day of school. Awkwardness prevailed. Later -- after we chatted with Fielder -- we sat in the stands. The hot dog guy came by, and we passed them down: Lion to Red Wing to Piston. And when Yzerman put his elbow in front of Sanders, he quickly said, "Excuse me."
Somehow I can't see that being duplicated in Los Angeles. ("Kobe, pass this hot dog to Manny") or New York City ("Hey, A-Rod, Stephon wants some mustard"). But it worked in Detroit. The guys actually thanked me afterward.
Stardom is a funny thing here. You don't achieve it by talking loud or dating a supermodel. You achieve it by shyly lowering your head when they introduce you or by tossing the ball to the refs after scoring a touchdown. Humility, in Detroit, is on a par with heroism. Even Dennis Rodman didn't get really crazy until he left.

And yet...
And yet we live among ghosts. Over there, on Woodward Avenue, was Hudson's, once America's second-largest department store; it was demolished a decade ago. Over there, on Michigan and Trumbull, stood Tiger Stadium, home to Ty Cobb and Hank Greenberg and Al Kaline and Kirk Gibson; it lasted nearly a century, until the wrecking ball got to it last year. Over there, on Bagley, is the United Artists Theater, which used to seat more than 2,000 people; it hasn't shown movies since the 1970s. The famous Packard plant on East Grand Boulevard -- the birthplace of the auto assembly line -- used to hum with activity, but now its halls are empty, its windows are broken, and its floors gather pools of water. On Lafayette Avenue you can still see the old Free Press building, where I was hired, where those letters once arrived in a mail slot. It used to house a newspaper. It doesn't anymore.
Any mature city has its echoes, but most are drowned out by the chirping of new enterprise. In Detroit the echoes roll on and on, filling the empty blocks because little else does. There is not a department store left downtown. Those three casinos hover like giant cranes, ready to scoop up your last desperate dollar. We have all heard the catchphrases about Detroit: A city of ruins. A Third World metropolis. A carcass. Last person to leave, turn out the lights.
For years, we took those insults as a challenge. We wore a cloak of defiance. But now that cloak feels wet and heavy. It has been cold here before, but this year seems colder. Skies have grayed before, but this year they're like charcoal. We've been unemployed before, but now the lines seem longer; we hear figures like 16% of the labor force not working, Depression numbers. I read one estimate that more than 40,000 houses in our city are now abandoned. Ghosts everywhere.

And yet...
And yet we remember when the streets were stuffed, a million people downtown at a parade, as our hockey team was given a royal reception; every car carrying a player was cheered. This was 1997, and the Red Wings, after a 42-year drought, had once again won the Stanley Cup. Players and coaches stepped to the microphone and heard their words bounce back in waves of sound and thundering applause. Yzerman. Brendan Shanahan. Scotty Bowman. A hockey team? Who does this for a hockey team? Hockey is an afterthought in most American cities. Here, we wear it as a nickname. Hockeytown. We know the rules. We know the good and the bad officials. We sneak octopuses in our pants legs and throw them onto the ice at Joe Louis Arena.
Who loves hockey like this? What other American city comes to a collective roar when the blue light flashes? And what other American city goes into collective mourning when two of its players and a team masseur are seriously injured in a limo crash? People in Detroit can still tell you where they were when they heard about that limo smashing into a tree in suburban Birmingham six days after the Cup win of '97, forever changing the lives of Vladimir Konstantinov, Slava Fetisov and Sergei Mnatsakanov. Vigils were held outside the hospital. Flowers were stacked at the crash site. The TV and radio news broke in with updates all day long. How critical? Would they skate again? Would they walk again?
Remember, these were two hockey players and a masseur, Russians to boot; none of them did much talking in English. Didn't matter. They were ours, and they were wounded. It felt as if there was no other news for weeks in Detroit. "You hear anything?" people would say. "Any updates?"
When people ask what kind of sports town Detroit is, I say the best in the nation. I say our newspapers will carry front-page stories on almost any sports tick, from Ernie Harwell's retirement to the Detroit Shock's winning the WNBA. I say sports is sometimes all we have, it relieves us, distracts us, at times even saves us. But what I really want to tell them about is that stretch in 1997, when the whole city seemed to be nervously pacing around a hospital waiting room. I can't do it justice. It's not that we watch more, or pay more, or cheer louder than other cities. But I will bet you my last dollar that, when it comes to sports, nobody cares as much as Detroit cares.

And yet...
And yet the gods toy with us. They give us the Lions. Our football team puts the less in hopeless. Its owner, William Clay Ford, has been in charge for 45 years. He's seen one playoff win. One playoff win in nearly half a century? Meanwhile, the backstory on Lions failure could fill a library. Blown games. Blown trades. Some of the most pathetic drafting in history, much of it orchestrated by Matt Millen, a former player who was hired out of the TV booth. Honestly, how many teams can use first-round draft picks on a quarterback, a receiver, a running back and two more receivers, as the Lions did from 2002 through '05, and not have a single one of them on the team just a few years later? And two of them out of the NFL altogether?
Wait. Here's a better one. In the last 45 years -- or since Ford took over -- the Lions have had 13 non-interim head coaches, and not a single one was ever a head coach in the NFL again. Not one. Rick Forzano. Tommy Hudspeth. Monte Clark. Darryl Rogers. Wayne Fontes. The list goes on. Nobody wanted them after Detroit. The Lions don't just hurt your reputation, they permanently flatten your tires.
Joey Harrington, a star college quarterback of unflagging optimism who foundered after the Lions drafted him with the No. 3 pick in 2002, once told me of a fog that seems to settle over inhabitants of the Lions locker room -- an evil, heavy cloud of historic disappointment that becomes self-perpetuating. Maybe it's the curse that Bobby Layne supposedly cast on this team after it traded him, saying it wouldn't win for 50 years.
That was 51 years ago.
No wonder Bobby Ross, who once coached San Diego to a Super Bowl, turned in his whistle and walked out of Detroit in the middle of a season. No wonder Sanders, the best running back Detroit ever had, quit the game at age 30. He actually gave money back rather than continue to play for the Lions.
Against this awful tapestry, in an economic crisis, in the darkest of days, came the 2008 season. What cruel fate could conjure such timing? After going 4--0 in the preseason (how's that for irony?), the Lions fell behind in their first regular-season game 21-0, in their second 21-3, in their third 21-3 and in their fourth 17-0 -- all before halftime. Their fifth game was the closest all year. They lost by two points. The margin of defeat? Our quarterback du jour, Dan Orlovsky, lost track of where he was and ran out of the back of the end zone for a safety.
Stop laughing. Do you think this has been easy? Do you think it's fun watching four guys miss tackles on a single play? Do you think it's fun watching Daunte Culpepper arrive, fresh off coaching his son's Pee Wee games, and get the nod as starting quarterback? There were days when it seemed as if all you needed to be on the Lions roster was a driver's license.
Week after week, as our businesses suffocated, as our houses were foreclosed and handed over to the banks, our football team lost -- to Jacksonville by 24 points, to Carolina by 9, to Tampa Bay by 18. And then, on Thanksgiving, the Tennessee Titans came to town with a 10-1 record. In front of the only national TV audience we would have all year, our Lions fumbled on their second play from scrimmage. A few plays later, Tennessee's Chris Johnson ran six yards untouched into the end zone -- the beer vendors were closer to him than the Lions defenders -- and before you could check the turkey in the oven, the Lions were down 35-3.
At halftime Sharpe wore that bag over his head and joined his colleagues in loudly suggesting that the NFL take the annual tradition away from the Motor City. "We have kids watching this," Sharpe said. "And they have to watch the Detroit Lions. This is ridiculous. The Detroit Lions every single year. This is what we have to go through."
No, Shannon. This is what we have to go through.

And yet...
And yet it's our misery to endure. There's a little too much glee in the Detroit jokes these days. A little too much flip in the wrist that tosses dirt on our coffins. We hear a Tennessee player tell the media that the Thanksgiving win didn't mean much because "it was just Detroit." We hear Jay Leno rip our scandalous former mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, by saying, "The bad news is, he could be forced out of office. The good news is, any time you get a chance to get out of Detroit, take it."
We hear Congress tongue-lash our auto executives for not matching the cheaper wages of foreign car companies. We hear South Carolina senator Jim DeMint tell NPR that "the barnacles of unionism" must be destroyed at GM, Ford and Chrysler. Barnacles? Barnacles are parasites without a conscience. Sounds more like politicians to us.
Enough, we want to say. The Lions stink. We know they stink. You don't have to tell us. Enough. The car business is in trouble. We know it's in trouble. We drive past the deserted parking lots of empty auto plants every day.
Enough. We don't need more lofty national newspaper laments on the decay of a Rust Belt city. Or the obligatory network news piece, "Can Detroit Be Saved?" For too long we have been the Place to Go to Chronicle the Ugly. Example: For years, we had a rash of fires the night before Halloween -- Devil's Night. And like clockwork, you could count on TV crews to fly in from out of town in hopes of catching Detroit burning. Whoomf. There we were in flames, on network TV. But when we got the problem under control, when city-sponsored neighborhood programs helped douse it, you never heard about that. The TV crews just shrugged and left.
Same goes for the favorite Detroit cliché of so many pundits: the image of a burning police car in 1984, after the Tigers won the World Series. Yes, some folks went stupid that night, and an eighth-grade dropout nicknamed Bubba held up a Tigers pennant in front of that burning vehicle, and -- snap-snap -- that was the only photo anyone seemed to need.
Never mind that in the years since, many cities have done as badly or worse after championships -- Boston and Chicago come to mind -- and weren't labeled for it. Never mind that through three NBA titles, four Stanley Cups, Michigan's national championships in college basketball and football, and even another World Series, nothing of that nature has occurred again in Detroit. Never mind. You still hear people, when we play for a title, uncork the old "Let's hope they don't burn the city down when it's over."
Look, we're the first to say we've got problems. But there's something disturbing when American reporters keep deliciously recording our demise but nobody wants to do anything about it. We're not your pity party. You want to chronicle us? We've been chronicled enough. As they say when a basketball rolls away at the playground, Yo, little help?
This is why our recent beatdown in Congress was so painfully felt. To watch our Big Three execs humiliated as if they never did a right thing in their lives, to watch U.S. senators from Southern states -- where billions in tax breaks were handed out to foreign car companies -- tear apart the U.S. auto industry as undeserving of aid, well, that was the last straw.
Enough. We're not gum on the bottom of America's shoe. We're not grime to be wiped off with a towel. Detroit and Michigan are part of the backbone of this country, the manufacturing spine, the heart of the middle class -- heck, we invented the middle class, we invented the idea that a factory worker can put in 40 hours a week and actually buy a house and send a kid to college. What? You have a problem with that? You think only lawyers and hedge-fund kings deserve to live decently?
To watch these lawmakers hand out, with barely a whisper, hundreds of billions to the financial firms that helped cause this current disaster, then make the Big Three beg like dogs and slap them with nothing? Honestly. There are times out here we feel like orphans.

And yet...
And yet we go on. The Tigers were supposed to win big last season; they finished last in their division. Michigan got a new football coach with a spread offense and an eye on a national championship; the Wolverines had their first losing season since 1967.
But we will be back for the Tigers and back for Michigan and -- might as well admit it -- we will be back for the Lions come September, as red-faced as they make us, as pathetic as 0-16 is.
And maybe you ask why? Maybe you ask, as I get asked all the time, "Why do you stay there? Why don't you leave?"
Maybe because we like it here. Maybe because this is what we know: snow and concrete underfoot, hardhats, soul music, lakes, hockey sticks. Maybe because we don't see just the burned-out houses; we also see the Fox Theater, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Whitney restaurant, the riverfront that looks out to Canada. Maybe because we still have seniors who call the auto giant "Ford's", like a shop that's owned by a real human being. Maybe because some of us subscribe to Pastor Covington's words, We are somebody because God loves us, no matter how cold the night or hard the mattress.
Maybe because when our kids finish college and take that first job in some sexy faraway city and a year later we see them back home and we ask what happened, they say, "I missed my friends and family." And we nod and say we understand.
Or maybe because we're smarter than you think. Every country flogs a corner of itself on the whipping post. English Canada rips French Canada, and vice versa. Swedes make lame jokes about Laplanders.
But it's time to untie Detroit. Because we may be a few steps behind the rest of the country, but we're a few steps ahead of it too. And what's happening to us may happen to you.
Do you think if your main industry sails away to foreign countries, if the tax base of your city dries up, you won't have crumbling houses and men sleeping on church floors too? Do you think if we become a country that makes nothing, that builds nothing, that only services and outsources, that we will hold our place on the economic totem pole? Detroit may be suffering the worst from this semi-Depression, but we sure didn't invent it. And we can't stop it from spreading. We can only do what we do. Survive.
And yet we're better at that than most places.


Here is the end of the story. This was back on Christmas night. After the visit to the church, I drove to a suburb with an old friend and we saw a movie. Gran Torino. It starred and was directed by Clint Eastwood, and it was filmed in metro Detroit, which was a big deal. Last year the state passed tax incentives to lure the movie business, an effort to climb out of our one-industry stranglehold, and Eastwood was the first big name to take advantage of it.
He shot in our neighborhoods. He used a bar and a hardware store. He reportedly fit in well, he liked the people, and no one hassled him with scripts or résumés.
The film was good, I thought, and familiar. The story of a craggy old man who loves his old car and stubbornly clings to the way he feels the world should behave. He defends his home. He defends his neighbors' honor. He goes out on his own terms.
When the film finished, the audience stayed in its seats waiting, through the closing music, through the credits, until the very last scroll, where, above a camera shot of automobiles rolling down Jefferson Avenue along the banks of Lake St. Clair, three words appeared.
MADE IN MICHIGAN.
And the whole place clapped. Just stood up and clapped.
To hell with Depression. We're gonna have a good year.



A great piece. Thanks Mitch Albom. We're Glad you stuck around. Thanks Detroit. You are our city too.


Read the original in Sports Illustrated here:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/the_bonus/01/07/detroit/index.html



Mitch Albom (http://mitchalbom.com/) is a columnist for the Detroit Free Press and the author of For One More Day, among other books.

Winterbites the Cold Snap


Three Coarse Meals
at Some Very Tasty Establishments
BAMBOO CATERING CO.
BUDA CAFE
CAFE MORENA
THE CHOP HOUSE
THE GOURMET EMPORIUM
MANUSCO'S TRATTORIA
MAZAAR LEBANESE CUISINE
MEZZO RISTORANTE
MICK'S IRISH PUB
OISHII SUSHI BAR
PER BACCO RISTORANTE
RISTORANTE AVANTI
THE POUR HOUSE PUB
THAI SILK
THREE...A TASTING BAR
WORLD MARATHON ETHIOPIAN
Winterbites.
Do Something About it.
Before it warms up around here.

January 14, 2009

MUNICIPAL ELECTION POLL...KIND OF


Could Windsor Star Reader's commentary be an indicator of what we can expect from our next municipal election? Read this article from yesterday's Windsor Star.

http://www.windsorstar.com/West+plan+city/1170376/story.html

When you are done read the following reader feedback from area residents. Very telling:


MIke B
January 14, 2009 - 11:38 AM

Wow. The only ting of historical value under the Indian road homes is failed exams and stubby beer bottles. Those houses are an eye sore and a risk to public safety. If the bridge company wants to remove the houses, let them. It'll make the area better and safer. I wonder if the city is going to pay for the legal damages if someone is raped or seriously hurt in those houses. You want to revitalize the west-end? how about you start with the entire thing. Peter St, baby st projects, bloomfield rd...they all need to be leveled and started over. Remove all the bars and fly by night businesses in the "Student ghetto" and actually appeal to families or people who pay taxes. Most of the people who reside there now have no interest or respect for the area because they are transient renters or cracked addicted druggies. Its also a smart idea to spend Billions on a tunnel when the guy who owns the bridge is willing to build another one; especially with truck traffic down 15%.


FED UP!
January 14, 2009 - 11:09 AM


Living in this city is becoming much harder with each passing day. When city council and our mayor are replaced it will probably be too late for most of us. All they seem to do is stall every project that might be beneficial to Windsor. Would you invest in this city? Look how long it took for an arena to be build and they still do not have it right. NOT ENOUGH PARKING! 6500 + seats and only 1800 parking spots. Whose the genius? I give up! Why don't you place they whole city of Windsor as a Heritage district because it is going to be a GHOST TOWN SOON!

Eddyville
January 14, 2009 - 10:53 AM


Historic day for Jonsey alright, he just lost his gravy job on that one.

smokinjoe
January 14, 2009 - 10:12 AM


Welcome to Jonestown!


Ex Indian road resident
January 13, 2009 - 9:36 PM


I used to live on Indian road.It was a nice street.Every house had a family in it.It was safe and there were lots of kids.Everybody knew their neighbour.Our back yard backed up to the bridge.That was 1970.There are no houses there of any historic value.My current house east of the bridge.is 100 yrs old and it has no historic value.I hate to read that some people would like the west end to stay a crappy part of town for ever.The west end always seems to get the short end of the stick.I am sure that no one that lives in the area is asking for billions of dollars to clean it up,but keeping these houses is a slap in their face.Ron Jones has no idea of what the west needs or wants.If a new bridge gets built,it will be landscaped along there.For free.There is nothing worse than Heritage Designation to halt progress.What about the houses on Felix and College that are boarded up?Are they Heritage as well or can they be torn down since the bridge doesn't want them.There are some serious games going on here and they need to be stopped.Can we not force an early election due to no confidence?There is too much at stake here, for the whole city.If this was Eddie's neighbourhood,this crap would not be happening.Wake up people and kick this council out.That would be one election I would vote in.

windsorite
January 13, 2009 - 8:41 PM


who cares about the west end. why should the city start caring. they let the west end rot for years and now they care. come on. why doesn't the mayor and his idiot friends shutup

D.S.
January 13, 2009 - 7:13 PM


The citizens of Windsor are to meek to stand up and protest. The only way they are moved to protest are by the cancerous unions. Unfortunately the unions are about to negotiate contracts with the city so you'll never hear a word from them. Windsor is in this mess because of the citizens of Windsor voted in this guy again! I predict that Windsor will vote Eddie in again in greater numbers; that is “lunch bucket” in action.

STE
January 13, 2009 - 7:03 PM


WHAT A JOKE


mtj
January 13, 2009 - 6:31 PM


City starts to play dirty again. Bridge company will play dirty too. Better lawyer will win, taxpayers will cover the fee. Great plan, that is if you want to bring the city down even more.




STAGGER
January 13, 2009 - 6:22 PM


How about a town hall meeting? Eddie, you and your clowncil to hear how the Citizens of Windsor really feel about your Greenlink deal, your approach to the Ambassador Bridge Co. proposal, the location of the new jail, the immediate need for jobs in Windsor, the need to improve our image to the world in general,etc. etc. Lets get it on. THE SOONER THE BETTER.


IVE HADIT
January 13, 2009 - 5:52 PM


Well Eddie and the bunch are getting good at turning Windsor into the Canadian Flint. Keep up the sham guys Ever wonder what the prize is for slum building? it must be great the way the gang is trying to destroy any hope of recovery . .


John
January 13, 2009 - 5:12 PM


Indian Road is part of "a recognized heritage district"??? Surely you are joking, right? More political posturing at it's finest...right here in good old soon to be forgotten Windsor., the place that "Could Have Been"...


Re: AJ
January 13, 2009 - 5:03 PM


http://www.ambassadorbridge.com/history2.html Interesting reading AJ. You might learn something.


JD
January 13, 2009 - 4:53 PM


Does Council understand the awful message it's sending to investors worldwide by its treatment of the Ambassador Bridge Company? This company wants to invest $1 billion of its own money in a depressed city and it's prevented from doing that by a city council that has its own agenda. Ridiculous!


AJ
January 13, 2009 - 4:33 PM


Good for you city of Windsor! Letting an old American decide our fate as a city and as a country would be the real disaster! Block and hinder his plans as much as possible. The Ambassador bridge never should of been built in the place it now stands in the first place. Matty will not live forever and I highly doubt he will ever see his grand plan come to pass. How is it in the first place that an individual came to own an international crossing in the first place?



Heather
I don't know all the details on the issue, but from what I have read, it would seem to me that council is playing under-handed on this issue, serving their own agenda. I agree though that the Sandwich West area is in great need of home and business improvements. This could be a wonderful area once again, but you need to do something about the pollution and the drug and crime infested areas too.
January 13, 2009
9:05 AM


Phoung


Where was City Council and the Heritage Committee when the City demolished the Norwich Block? City Council - please stop curtailing economic development. How does Council complain that the provincial and federal government does nothing to promote the local economy when local government is the one placing up roadblocks at every step. We need a new crossing...let one be built...
January 13, 2009
9:16 AM


Indian road resident
Get rid of eyesores and council get hand on really whats going on in this city. Can't wait and see what the legal bill will be when the bridge company had enough of council playing games and takes them to court
January 13, 2009
9:28 AM


jiw71
I'm just waiting for the law suit to come from the bridge company -which taxpayers will be responsible. Its hard to comprehend the arrogance of city council and the mayor. But after all its not their money that they are wasting.
January 13, 2009
9:35 AM


move on
Remember the Downtown market>? People faught that tooth and nail - I beleive it's only the strong survive anyway
January 13, 2009
9:44 AM


What a Joke
Watching city council last night was a complete joke. From all the heritage idiots -- yes you guys are idiots -- talking about the heritage value that these Indian Road shacks have. I don't think anyone in their right mind would say that these shacks have any value. They need to be demolished, or just take a stick of dynamite to it and blow it to shreds. Ernie Lamont and Mr. Sperduti were the only ones in that council meeting who had anything sensible to say at all. I think a whole new city council needs to be voted in -- someone tough and that will get the job done. Postma and Jones need to go.
January 13, 2009
9:56 AM


move on
like you state, clear out the trash, the best is left, once Matty builds the lots will fill in with nice new home s with kids and picket fencces , flowers and butterflies. but get on with it! move on
January 13, 2009
10:05 AM


move on
like you state, clear out the trash, the best is left, once Matty builds the lots will fill in with nice new home s with kids and picket fencces , flowers and butterflies. but get on with it! move on
January 13, 2009
10:06 AM


West-End Resident/Supporter
Certainly Sandwich needs and deserves the opportunity to recreate itself, but it will certainly take MUCH more than just cheques and political will. That said, such an initiative can, and should, move forward without continuing to propogate the terrible situation that currently exists on Indian Rd; not to mention, stand in the way of viable progress! There is NO historical significance that should stand in the way of cleaning up that street (i.e. allowing the bridge to level all of the unoccupied homes)! It is a terrible sight, and a shameful blight on the mediocre minds of city counsel! Personally, I can't believe we actually pay these idiots to represent us!??! Besides, allowing the Bridge Corporation to level the houses does not necessitate a "go forward" vote for the doubling of the bridge (though that would be nice); just an opportunity to clean up the area, and, at the very least, inspire the development of some "green space", until the DRIC/GreenLink/Bridge Corp/.... debacle gets figured out. I love Windsor, but having the benefit of doing much business outside of its borders over the years, its easy to see how we keep making the bed we lie in ... though very difficult to accept.
January 13, 2009
10:22 AM


Norma
The Bridge company's lawyer was just giving you the ground work for the BIG LAWSUIT coming. She was only giving the council.mayor,media and public a taste of what lies ahead. This is going to cost the Taxpayers of Windsor big bucks. Stay tuned and pay your taxes. To the Mayor and City Council: "this is a fine mess you've got us into Ollie"
January 13, 2009
10:43 AM


T.J.
City council and the mayor look like a total joke on this one , the homes that the Bridge owns are freakin dumps . Why could they not pass a bylaw that allows demolition of these structures but prohibits building on them without prior approval of city council or any buildings \ construction that is to proceed on these now vacant lands blend with the heritage of Sandwich town? Why? Because they are exploiting you , west end citizens and flexing their muscle to show they are the boss. Leaving boarded up , crap hole buildings stand does not represent what this neighborhood needs and wants. Recall city council now
January 13, 2009
10:46 AM


Jimmy the Greek
Agree with Heather
January 13, 2009
10:48 AM


DANTE
What most people are not aware of is the restrictions placed on zonings in this area now. Garages only in the back yards - just like in the slums! No one in their right minds will build under these conditions and therefore Sandwich has been dealt the death blow. They just don't know it yet.
January 13, 2009
10:56 AM


Nathan
Eddie, your a joke
January 13, 2009
10:57 AM


Chris
Anything the city does to the Bridge should be questioned. They own the tunnel and have a vestign interest in hampering Bridge imporvements! Seems like a conflict of interest. Maybe the Competition Bureau needs to investigate.
January 13, 2009
10:57 AM


Larry...
Tear the shacks down you idiots. Why does everything about this mayor sound fishy?
January 13, 2009
11:01 AM


Historic night...A.B. 2
The only historic night will be seeing the expression on former Mr. Mayor and city clowncils faces when the lights to the 2nd Ambassador Bridge are lit up and the ribbon cut. Anyway, by then the current mayor will be working in either Sutts or Estrins offices and the rest of clowncil members will be on the unemployment line or if they are lucky enough, maybe Matty will give them jobs as toll collectors on the new A.B 2 Bridge.
January 13, 2009
11:05 AM


SICK AND TIRED
Once again city council has the west end residents stuck with the indian road garbage,it's real easy when you dont live near it.it is no wonder new companies NEVER want to come here.Can city council be impeached? I would vote for that.Than again I think i will just move out , enough is enough !
January 13, 2009
11:09 AM


H J
Before you know it, homes built 30 years ago will be considered under heritage protection as it suits the city. The citzens should sue city council for misuse of taxpayers monies.
January 13, 2009
11:12 AM


dert
I am truly embarrassed for our city and its council.. Unbeleivable the crap they are doing.
January 13, 2009
11:13 AM


dert
I am truly embarrassed for our city and its council.. Unbeleivable the crap they are doing.
January 13, 2009
11:14 AM


John
I find it hilarious that the council is wasting money on the armpit of Windsor!! Like people are going to come to windsor to see the west end!! About the only thing more non interesting then the west end is listening to council speak!!! the blind leading the blind is what that is!!! morons!!!
January 13, 2009
11:17 AM


Nick
These councilors and heritage quacks should scare the heck out of every private property owner in the city. The mentality of these wannabees has made Windsor a stagnant mess. Why would any business want to set up shop here? Maybe we can get these nuts to hold a vigil for all the boarded up vacant "heritage dumps" this city protects.
January 13, 2009
11:22 AM


Disgrace
All the mayor and council want to do is stop progress!!!! The houses on Indian road should of been torn down 2 years ago, and guess what that means.. EMPLOYMENT!!! Something the mayor can't understand!!! Maybe he likes that his city has the lowest unemploymnent rate in Canada, proably North America now... Stop lolly gagging and get people working.... You are supposed to listen to the TAXPAYERS of Windsor.... Clean out your ears!!!!!
January 13, 2009
11:26 AM


this is good news you fools
why cant people on this website ever see the good things? This will HELP sandwich town hopefully develop into one of the most unique and attractive areas in canada. With close proximity to the university, it will be a great place for students to go! In addition, this also helps to stop Moroun and his diabolical plan to flood our city with trucks so he can continue to make millions/day and not give back to the community. Sandwich town can be great again... its not too late.
January 13, 2009
11:34 AM


Dan
It seems a lot comments is bashing city council. I would hope that those who bash vote or I would strongly suggest is run for city council at the next election. I would assume if this was your heritage, you would fight tooth and nail to keep the area as such. As far as the bridge, who by the way is owned by an American, all they care is to build another crossing to make more money and their attitude is screw the community. Wake up people, city council is doing what the people who voted them in wants. City council and the mayor is doing a fine job, even during tough times.
January 13, 2009
11:34 AM


FRREAK
WOW why would anyone think in their right mind that these homes are an historical part of Sandwiche Towne what they are is an eyesore and makes it look like a dump and then people wonder why they call the west end "the hood" Get a move on this,,, and let's build new buildings make it look better,,,oh wait and maybe create some jobs in this city. Oh and maybe let's get the DRIC project goin before this city goes under with no jobs around here!!!!!
January 13, 2009
11:36 AM


Ok I see
I see where Eddie is going with this. By declaring the slums on Indian Rd a hertiage district he thinks we will get added tourism??? It's hard enough to get tourists to visit the casino with's it 400 million expansion, why would anyone want to go see boarded up slum houses??? If they get home improvements paid for with my tax dollars then you better believe I want my home improvements paid for as well.... It's time the whole east side of WIndsor be designated a heritage district.... Streets like Cadillac, Ford, Aubin, George all need home improvements as well... I'll be waiting for my cheque in the mail...
January 13, 2009
11:37 AM


Jason
People of Windsor, we desperately need your help. This council and administration need to be held accountable. I think there might be a couple corrupt individuals who want something for personal gain before letting a corporation make money here, but mostly I think they are just incompetent people. Nobody wants to do business here anymore. The arena going in the East end was corruption. This is pure arrogance and stupidity. The arena not going downtown was fraudulent. The Norwalk block and this were just short sighted, unintelligent and lack of understanding. These councillors need to go as fast as we can get them out.
January 13, 2009
11:41 AM


WindsorTalk.ca
I watched last night, and couldn't believe what I was seeing. 30 year old houses considered heritage? there are so many more place in Windsor that could use that designation. What a joke.
January 13, 2009
11:42 AM


Chris
What a joke. We live on Indian and the whole east side of the street is abandoned boarded up homes. Unfortunately I could not make the meeting yesterday. These homes have been empty for so long they are in disrepair. No one will ever repair or live in these homes no matter what incentives are offered. Let the bridge demolish them and if they want to fight over the land then fight over it once the area is cleaned up. But it is a dangerous neighborhood and these homes harbor rats and undesirables. Council and the Mayor seem to be hurting the west side residents to spite the Bridge co. Thank you for making my neighborhood a terrible places to live Eddie.
January 13, 2009
11:45 AM


Stink Eye
In the 1990's Old Sandwiche Town rejected Heritage Designation because it was too restrictive. Now, City Council has them whipped into a fear frenzy to the point where they are designating for the wrong reasons and to the wrong end. Thom Hunts own words above: "A new regime will be put in place," said city planner Thom Hunt. "There will be a new way of doing business in Sandwich Towne." The bridges Greening plan would have been a great tit for tat boon for the area with a minimally invasive footprint. Do these people really want to preserve these 1950/60esque homes in lieu of added parkland? What will that bring to Old Sandwiche town? You are in bed with the Devil now. Let's see what that gets you.
January 13, 2009
11:55 AM


fed up
Every taxpayer should make a point of having your taxes reduced. Our homes in Windsor are not worth the taxes we are paying. Please ...everyone look into this and see if you can have your taxes reduced based upon the assesed value. We should all refuse to pay the taxes based upon the fact that these residents are all being punished by the city. Let's help them get these homes demolished so we can move forward. I don't have any interest personally, but know that the right thing is to support these people. Maybe once the city is forced by thousands of people wanting a tax reduction they will reconsider.
January 13, 2009
12:03 PM


rkm
Once a slum always a slum! There is nothing worth saving west of the bridge!
January 13, 2009
12:07 PM


WOW
Just bulldoze it all. I think we all can find better things to do with our tax monies.
January 13, 2009
12:10 PM


Eric
Jones! Postma! What in the world are you people doing!? This city is on the verge of a complete stand still and you want the city to save some old shacks? 'Hinder and obstruct'? That's putting it mildly. If there were no plans at this time for a new bridge, do you think that city council would be wasting their time and efforts on these rat traps in the area of the west end? No way.
January 13, 2009
12:11 PM


AR
I usually support Eddie because he stands up for this city more than any Mayor in recent history but not allowing the demolition of these homes is not fair to the residents of this area. Let teh bridge company demolish them and then fight over the land use.
January 13, 2009
12:13 PM


PURE CORRUPTION
Francis and Council--- how can you live with yourselves? You are an embarassment to everyone !!!
January 13, 2009
12:17 PM


Andrew
I think its time to overtake this joke of a city council.
January 13, 2009
12:18 PM


whatthefug
I keep hearing that this is one of the most used crossings in Canada. Has anyone in charge ever really looked at the condition of the steel that is the bridge . built in 1929 it is well worn . Take a coat hanger and bend it back and forth for years and then say it is still strong.... the next time you go on the bridge take time to actually look at the shape the vissable parts are and then imagine what the hidden parts are like . Stopping the bridge from being double spanned is inviting a tragedy and a heritiage designation might just be enough to lead to a disaster . If this old bridge collapses how will anyone justify the reasons . and the only history connected with such a thing will be Windsor economy and the rest of Canada also becoming History........
January 13, 2009
12:23 PM


Jenn
Those homes are about as historically important as mine in the pillet and seminole area, take out the garbage already and make way for new improvements.
January 13, 2009
12:24 PM


PAVING WAY FOR MARTY
These type of comical decisions are making the court case much easier for the Ambassador Bridge. This stupid city is making it so obvious what it is attempting to accomplish it is actually sickening to watch as it unfolds. Once again, at a high cost to only the taxpayers, we will be on the hook to pay for all the upcoming legal costs. The only good that will come of this, is if the owners of the Ambassador Bridge invite this current mayor and his council to the ribbon cutting ceremony of the new 2nd span and give them seats front and center and have Mr. Francis and Mr. Jones do the honors. This would at least on the Bridges part show there are no hard feelilngs even though it took al ittle longer to complete than anticipated.
January 13, 2009
12:28 PM


Terry
Nick is so right. Historic sandwich should be relabled Little Detroit. That area will never ever ever ever become a tourist destination. What you have is a handful of people and politicians looking out for themselves and not the city as a whole. How much does this cities decline have to do with our two most famous relics of the past the tunnel and bridge and the people who make sure nothing takes their place ?
January 13, 2009
12:29 PM


Rita
I too watched city council last nite and could not believe how they voted to keep the home on Indian road.I though for sure thuis was a done deal..I do not know how the city can expect the town to get better when they keep ghetto housing..There are some great bldgings in the town that have alot to offer.Such as mackenzie hall and the old corners of sandwich and mill and the Post Office Some things are worth saving and others are not...ei. Indian road!!!
January 13, 2009
12:42 PM


RICK W
Does someone have a breakdown how council voted {please post on here} because everyone who voted to keep up all these boarded up eyesores should be voted out, no excuses? It has gone on way to long with these homes .Anyone could look at the list of boarded up homes and 95 % could be immediately taken off the lists so they could be demolished immediately and then the few remaining could be looked at one by one to see if they warrant heritage status. The safety of the residents should take paramount over even Eddie’s ego; these houses are fire traps, rat traps, and good places for people doing illegal activities to hide. Also people getting off the bridge, if they turn to the west this is the first sight they get to see in our city, they will still think they are in Detroit; COUNCIL you should be proud of yourselves. Eddie is the worst mayor in my lifetime, he is a cancer to the city! Eddie and his puppets must go!!
January 13, 2009
12:45 PM


RIDICULOUS
I'M GETTING OUT OF THIS GOD FORSAKEN CITY. EDDIE FRANCIS WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU PRESERVE A BUNCH OF OLD HOMES ON INDIAN ROAD THAT NEED TO BE TORN DOWN. BUSINESSES AROUND THE WORLD WOULD SEE A TWIN BRIDGE AND KNOW THEY COULD DO EFFICIENT BUSINESS IN ONTARIO BECAUSE OF IT..HENCE....INVESTMENTS......HENCE.....JOBS. YOU JUST RUINED THE GATEWAY TO AN ENTIRE PROVINCE FOR THE SAKE OF SOME RUN DOWN PART OF A DYING CITY. YOUR A FOOL !!!!!
January 13, 2009
12:48 PM


Waste of time
those homes are nothing close bo being heritage. They are war time homes and need to be replaced and removed. I own a rental home on Rankin and I'm looking at ripping it down to rebuild, my house is nothing close to being heritage. Look at some major city's that have heritage homes, and someone wants to develop them, somehow they go up in flames. Insurance money and the ability to rebuild. Can't wait to see that happen, drunken university student are always looking for fun.
January 13, 2009
12:53 PM


Dave
I see the Bridge owners suing the City of Windsor. I think it's pretty clear they are using the Sandwich town renewal project to block the bridge from there work. They are deliberately obstructing progress of a new 2nd bridge there. Just how long do they think the current bridge will last? Sooner or later it will need replacing. I hope Matty sues and takes the rest of what the city has left for cash. Windsor City council and the Mayor are a joke. I think the next election will be very interesting to say the least!
January 13, 2009
1:09 PM


bt
Jones an Postma will be looking for something to do come next election
January 13, 2009
1:17 PM


Are You kidding
I have recently moved back to Windsor after 3 years and nothing has changed. They are still arguing about the same stuff at city hall. Do they not realize that is the first part of the city anyone crossing the bridge see's. I know when I go to Detroit over bridge and see there blight of abandon house's I think what a shame, do they not realize people who accidentally end up on the west side think that is what almost all of Windsor looks like. I have friends from Toronto who went to school at the U and never really left the west end and they think the whole city is a dive. That drives me nuts because the rest of the city has some real nice areas. Well lets keep up the good work councilors.
January 13, 2009
1:24 PM


jane
I am jumping into this forum completely uninformed of the issue, just happened upon this online, that being said,
iIgrew up in Windsor and the one thing that stood out for me reading this, is how sad for Windsor. Did we learn nothing from watching what happened to our neighbours across the water, when the area near the Bridge was burned down and boarded up.... as to the question of Heritage, I fondly remember the Norton Palmer Hotel,... now that was Heritage, more so than 50's bungalo's in disrepair.
some times looking at change is a good thing.
January 13, 2009
1:31 PM


LOWER PROERTY TAXES
All Windsor residents need to file MPAC for unfair market values for your home , the housing industry has lost more then 18% since MPAC laced their assessment to your home.Why should we pay higher assessment value for the next five years ??????? I am sure our useless mayor Eddie will manipulate the city mill rate just like he did for your water surcharges.All residents need to file with MPAC ( on line) and file an amendment for reconsideration to your property value. Windsor is the WORST city for higher taxes !!!
January 13, 2009
1:33 PM


Jeff
What is city council thinking? These homes are worthless and the land looks like trash! Bulldoze them all down and get the new bridge on the go!
January 13, 2009
1:36 PM


Testify
I will be a witness in a court of law for the Bridge Comapny, as to what a joke our city council has become.... Any others willing to TESTIFY!!!!!!!!!!
January 13, 2009
1:44 PM


AL
Let the houses stand, the bridge company will not win.
January 13, 2009
1:46 PM


Cal
"The city is taking draconian steps and takes away rights from various people," she said. Welcome to Windsor...the home of nothing!
January 13, 2009
2:33 PM


Jerry
I am sick to death of watching our City Council make fools of themselves and all of us. Sandwich West Heritage is a joke and a cover up to slam the bridge company. Do they not realize that the bridge is there forever and buliding a second one further down will only sandwich ( pardon the pun) Old Sandwich in between them - is that what they want - how stupid. The way they are going - Old Sandwich is going to die- no one will want to buy into there or llive there anyway.
January 13, 2009
2:38 PM


RG
WHAT A JOKE CITY COUNCIL IS, THEY ARE LIVING IN THE 50'S, NOT ONE OF THEM HAVE SEEN THE DISCOVERY CHANNELL WHERE THEY BUILD THINGS FAST. WAITED 30 YEARS FOR AN ARENA PROBABLY NEVER SEE A ANOTHER BRIDGE IN MY LIFETIME. HOPE THE DETROIT BRIDGE GOES TO COURT AND SUES THE CITY REAL GOOD. CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT ELECTION.
January 13, 2009
2:38 PM


T.J.
Are You kidding January 13, 2009 I have recently moved back to Windsor after 3 years.... Just one question ....Why ?
January 13, 2009
2:39 PM


WHEN BRIDGE WINS
This city council is very arrogant and looking for more court battles. Historic night. HA! A disgraceful night if anything. We as taxpayers can only hope someone will knock the fphin arrogance out of these clowncil members one day for all there stupidity and stopping any type of progress by a corporation that will make things move quickly across the border.
January 13, 2009
2:42 PM


Paul Chislett
Congratulations Windsor council!!!
January 13, 2009
2:49 PM


Jeff3
Windsor, next Monday night, we go down to city hall and carry them all out and over to the jail. All 200 thousand plus...come on. Its time to take out the trash.
January 13, 2009
2:54 PM


roberto
Let the Ambassador Bridge build, forget DRIC and Greenlink. Spend the money that taxpayers won't have to spend on a bridge on Huron Church improvements. Look what they're doing in Detroit for their Gateway project. They're not even thinking about the downriver span. By the way, I live on Riverside Dr. E., and I'd like some money for landscaping improvements to beautify MY home, too. How can council give these funds to one neighbourhood and not another?
January 13, 2009
2:58 PM


Salbo
what a joke god first a sign a land mark now this guess what why not just stop foward progress turn Windsor into a ghost town so visitors can see what one trully looks like wake up Eddie&the crew(losers)
January 13, 2009
3:00 PM


dj
Dictators
January 13, 2009
3:06 PM


Eddie Francise
MPAC assessed property value more than what they are worth now.
January 13, 2009
3:23 PM


Grant
It is so obvious that the Windsor City Council and Mayor Francis have a subversive, damaging and irresponsible agenda ongoing. The bunch of them are all in cahoots to push this City into oblivion. They are hell bent on delaying ALL progress of any kind. The bridge needs to be built to line up with the incredible infrastructure that the taxpayers of Michigan are doing on their side of the river. Shame on Jones, shame on Postma, shame on Eddie. Your mis-deeds will not be forgotten. Keep it up, drive Windsor into the dumpster. Delay all progress, don't build the new parkway. We are just totally fed up with paying you takers out of our taxes. I would rather see the roads fixed, than pay you all to sit there and gavel us into the dirt. Pull your heads out of your _ _ S. I have had it with the bunch of you !
January 13, 2009
3:27 PM


Jack Tar
I am all for saving heritage sites, but Indian road? This makes this city look worse when trying to lure business to the area.
January 13, 2009
3:35 PM


Troubled Waters
Jones and the rest of council need to stop playing their games. Let's get on with it. Those houses must come down.
January 13, 2009
3:50 PM


Dorion
I LIVED MY WHOLE LIFE IN THAT NIEGHBOURHOOD city council and Eddie there is nothing historic about those homes. YOU WANT TO HELP THE WESTEND get rid of the stone piles on Russel and Detroit streets.The DOG PATCH you destoyed that nieghbourhood and now you are worried about some wartime homes.Listen to the peaple who live there not RICH peaple from out of town.This city has neglected the westend my whole 47 yearsand you want to protect run down homes ???????
January 13, 2009
3:56 PM


IRATE TAX PAYER
You guys on City council including the Mayor must take stupid pills with your coffee every morning. We don't need another crossing. The new Ambassador Bridge and our Tunnel will be sufficient to handle the border crossing needs. We don't need to spend a billion dollars for a new crossing. Use the money for something worthwhile.....like increasing your wages and your premature exhorbitant pensions. Ha ha ..... you guys and gals are a joke. In my opionion, you are irresponsible and incompetent....whichever comnes first.
January 13, 2009
4:23 PM


Alexander
It's time for the citizens to crash the next council meeting and start booing these jerks.
January 13, 2009
4:23 PM


AJ
Good for you city of Windsor! Letting an old American decide our fate as a city and as a country would be the real disaster! Block and hinder his plans as much as possible. The Ambassador bridge never should of been built in the place it now stands in the first place. Matty will not live forever and I highly doubt he will ever see his grand plan come to pass. How is it in the first place that an individual came to own an international crossing in the first place?
January 13, 2009
4:33 PM


JD
Does Council understand the awful message it's sending to investors worldwide by its treatment of the Ambassador Bridge Company? This company wants to invest $1 billion of its own money in a depressed city and it's prevented from doing that by a city council that has its own agenda. Ridiculous!
January 13, 2009
4:53 PM


Re: AJ
http://www.ambassadorbridge.com/history2.html Interesting reading AJ. You might learn something.
January 13, 2009
5:03 PM


John
Indian Road is part of "a recognized heritage district"??? Surely you are joking, right? More political posturing at it's finest...right here in good old soon to be forgotten Windsor., the place that "Could Have Been"...
January 13, 2009
5:12 PM


IVE HADIT
Well Eddie and the bunch are getting good at turning Windsor into the Canadian Flint. Keep up the sham guys Ever wonder what the prize is for slum building? it must be great the way the gang is trying to destroy any hope of recovery . .
January 13, 2009
5:52 PM


STAGGER
How about a town hall meeting? Eddie, you and your clowncil to hear how the Citizens of Windsor really feel about your Greenlink deal, your approach to the Ambassador Bridge Co. proposal, the location of the new jail, the immediate need for jobs in Windsor, the need to improve our image to the world in general,etc. etc. Lets get it on. THE SOONER THE BETTER.
January 13, 2009
6:22 PM


mtj
City starts to play dirty again. Bridge company will play dirty too. Better lawyer will win, taxpayers will cover the fee. Great plan, that is if you want to bring the city down even more.
January 13, 2009
6:31 PM


STE
WHAT A JOKE
January 13, 2009
7:03 PM


D.S.
The citizens of Windsor are to meek to stand up and protest. The only way they are moved to protest are by the cancerous unions. Unfortunately the unions are about to negotiate contracts with the city so you'll never hear a word from them. Windsor is in this mess because of the citizens of Windsor voted in this guy again! I predict that Windsor will vote Eddie in again in greater numbers; that is “lunch bucket” in action.
January 13, 2009
7:13 PM


windsorite
who cares about the west end. why should the city start caring. they let the west end rot for years and now they care. come on. why doesn't the mayor and his idiot friends shutup
January 13, 2009
8:41 PM


Ex Indian road resident
I used to live on Indian road.It was a nice street.Every house had a family in it.It was safe and there were lots of kids.Everybody knew their neighbour.Our back yard backed up to the bridge.That was 1970.There are no houses there of any historic value.My current house east of the bridge.is 100 yrs old and it has no historic value.I hate to read that some people would like the west end to stay a crappy part of town for ever.The west end always seems to get the short end of the stick.I am sure that no one that lives in the area is asking for billions of dollars to clean it up,but keeping these houses is a slap in their face.Ron Jones has no idea of what the west needs or wants.If a new bridge gets built,it will be landscaped along there.For free.There is nothing worse than Heritage Designation to halt progress.What about the houses on Felix and College that are boarded up?Are they Heritage as well or can they be torn down since the bridge doesn't want them.There are some serious games going on here and they need to be stopped.Can we not force an early election due to no confidence?There is too much at stake here, for the whole city.If this was Eddie's neighbourhood,this crap would not be happening.Wake up people and kick this council out.That would be one election I would vote in.
January 13, 2009
9:36 PM


smokinjoe
Welcome to Jonestown!
January 14, 2009
10:12 AM


Eddyville
Historic day for Jonsey alright, he just lost his gravy job on that one.
January 14, 2009
10:53 AM


FED UP!
Living in this city is becoming much harder with each passing day. When city council and our mayor are replaced it will probably be too late for most of us. All they seem to do is stall every project that might be beneficial to Windsor. Would you invest in this city? Look how long it took for an arena to be build and they still do not have it right. NOT ENOUGH PARKING! 6500 + seats and only 1800 parking spots. Whose the genius? I give up! Why don't you place they whole city of Windsor as a Heritage district because it is going to be a GHOST TOWN SOON!
January 14, 2009
11:09 AM


MIke B
Wow. The only ting of historical value under the Indian road homes is failed exams and stubby beer bottles. Those houses are an eye sore and a risk to public safety. If the bridge company wants to remove the houses, let them. It'll make the area better and safer. I wonder if the city is going to pay for the legal damages if someone is raped or seriously hurt in those houses. You want to revitalize the west-end? how about you start with the entire thing. Peter St, baby st projects, bloomfield rd...they all need to be leveled and started over. Remove all the bars and fly by night businesses in the "Student ghetto" and actually appeal to families or people who pay taxes. Most of the people who reside there now have no interest or respect for the area because they are transient renters or cracked addicted druggies. Its also a smart idea to spend Billions on a tunnel when the guy who owns the bridge is willing to build another one; especially with truck traffic down 15%.
January 14, 2009
11:38 AM


Football
Eddie and concil dont' care a wit for the West End. Its mearly a tool to prevent any growth not thought up by Eddie. If this span is built, then the green link will be redundant and Eddie knows it.
January 14, 2009
2:24 PM



So what can we make of all of this? A couple of things: Citizens of Windsor are definately paying attention to how their elected officials are managing their affairs. There seems to be some consensus brewing. If so, could it carry until the next municipal election? What are your thoughts?

January 8, 2009

Seagrave Site Revisited

Seagrave Building Site Today. Outdoor Storage, Junk and Chain Link Fence

It’s been a few months since the Historical Seagrave Building was obliterated by the wrecking ball. We were told at the time that it was all due to a Building Department clerk who was asleep at the switch. We won’t get into why the building wasn’t officially on the Historical Registry. As the story goes, he signed off on the documents and an opportunistic Ashok Sood scrambled to get a demolition company in place for the next morning. By the time witnesses called the travesty in to the City it was too late. A quarter of the building had already fallen. After razing this historical treasure Sood threw up his hands and simply played dumb.

What makes this story particularly odd is that the only building on the site which was left in tact was a rough service building in the back forty. It was also the only part of the site with an actual tenant. That’s obviously all that Sood cared about right from the beginning.

Now the Seagrave site is graced with a slew of spent forklift and Tennant Sweeper carcasses which the tenant, an independent forklift mechanic, bought from the defunct Ford Casting plant for pennies on the dollar. There are many more of these jitneys adorning Sood’s other properties across the street. The sad part is that this equipment had already cycled itself out of safe and cost effective service from the harsh foundry environment. Buying one of these things now would be like buying a car from New Orleans just after Katrina. Reliability and Safety have to be key concerns. The only rightful place where this equipment will garner realistic and top value is Zalev.


Rows of Spent Forklifts from the Ford Foundry



Now, Sood advertises that both sides of Walker Road are available for open storage. As of recent, he has acquired a few ocean containers and a fleet of old Chrysler trailers (pre-Daimler). Throw these in with forklifts, material handling equipment, old buses, trucks, boats and chemicals and that is what area residents and passers by get to see every day. Here is a question for anyone in the know: Does current zoning along this stretch of Walker Road permit “outside storage”? This writer believes not but feel free to chime in. If it does not, then why isn’t the Building Department enforcing?



Illegal Outdoor Storage?


These properties adjoin two residential areas in two wards. They also flank a main North/ South artery which leads visitors to Windsor’s train station, Willistead Park and the Walkerville BIA. Is this really how we want to present ourselves or should we just cave to the profit machinations of one myopic businessman?

As seen from St. Luke


Click on images to enlarge

January 7, 2009

NEW BRIDGE SPAN INCHES CLOSER

New Ambassador Bridge Span Nustling up Along Old Blue

Leading Edge Getting Closer

Just a reminder. At least one border crossing is already under way.

Click on images to enlarge.

January 5, 2009

NEW WINDSOR JAIL ANGST IS AN EXERCISE IN OLD NEWS

The old news is that in about 80 percent of prison construction experiences there is some initial resistance by area residents. The usual concerns fall into the categories of safety and financial issues. Obvious things like increased crime in the immediate area, the threat of escapes, impacts on property values, stress on local infrastructure and environmental concerns. The same appears to be the case with the residents of Joy, Ray and Baseline Roads even though we are talking about a municipal jail as opposed to a prison which most research is based on.

As it turns out, all concerns are quickly dismissed with a little rationalization, history and experience. Let’s look at the examples above. Crime will actually go down because of the expanded security and police presence. What criminals want to conduct business in an area with such a high density of coppers? Can anyone remember an escape from the current Windsor Jail? That facility has been there for 80 years. Today we are dealing with a modern, state of the art facility with double capacity.

The big item from previous posts is the fear that property values will decrease. History, in fact, shows that property values remain neutral or go up because of the physical nature of the development and because of the benefits that follow it. There has been one exception worth noting: “The only instances where property values actually decrease after a correctional facility is built is in communities where there is strong, vocal opposition to the prison. It is believed that the vocal opposition to the prison actually drives away potential homeowners and investors in an area, due to the negative media coverage of the community and its prison” (Abrams & Lyons, 1987). In other words, when an opposing community keeps harping about declining property values, the media picks it up for wider and more frequent broadcast and eventually their collective message becomes the truth. Investors and buyers stay away because of a false perception impinged on them. Property values decline. This is much like shooting one self in the foot. As infrastructure goes, it is always developed to meet the need of the operation and usually expands in such a way as to improve upon what area residents currently have. Since jails do not pollute there are no environmental concerns.

Local media and City Hall were slow to get the correct information out with respect to the new jails actual location. This caused a lot of public commotion because Windsorites were fed and left with the impression that the new jail’s location was actually in a shopping plaza at the corner of Walker Road and the 401. Over the last couple of months the general public seems content with the actual location on the Eighth Concession leaving residents of Joy and Ray Roads as the core objectors. They, by coarse and at least for the moment, fear all of the above. They initially defined the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services as public enemy number one. Of course…the Ministry has seen all of this many times before and every time everything worked out for the better.


A reader sent in this report prepared by the University of Cincinatti. Good background.

The Effects of a New Prison on the Local Community
Prepared by
Brittany Groot, M.S.
Research Assistant
&
Edward J. Latessa, Ph.D.
Professor & Division Head
University of Cincinnati
Center for Criminal Justice Research
Division of Criminal Justice
PO Box 210389
Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0389
January, 2007 _____________________________________________________________________
This report was prepared through a contract with the Matanuska-Susitna Borough with the coordination of the University of Alaska, College of Health and Social Welfare, Justice Center in order to have an independent third party address the most commonly raised concerns and issues during the Phase II site selection public hearings. Introduction
With the consistent increase in incarceration rates and the ever-climbing numbers of inmates (Harrison & Beck, 2005), the prisons in Alaska are overcrowded. Alaskan prisons are in particularly difficult circumstances since over 1,000 inmates from Alaska are currently incarcerated in Arizona; with these inmates being transported between the two states and housed at a great cost to the taxpayers (RISE Alaska, 2006). The Alaskan Department of Corrections (ADOC) determined that Matanuska-Susitna Borough (Mat-Su) would become the site of the newest correctional facility, saving the State’s and taxpayers’ money, bringing jobs into the area, and helping the ADOC run a more efficient agency (RISE Alaska, 2006).
The decision of where to site a prison is a long and difficult process in which many factors and community characteristics are examined. The goal is to select the best community for the facility, however, due to the stereotypes of prisons and prisoners, resistance to hosting a correctional facility within a community is often present (Martin, 2000; Cherry & Kunce, 2001). While a prison may seem to be unsavory in a community, the fears that opponents raise have been found to be unsubstantiated. Most research has found that rather than being a hardship on a community, prisons are actually beneficial to the host community. The purpose of this policy paper is to review the available research pertaining to the impact of a prison on the local community. The following will be discussed: the disadvantages of prisons cited by opponents; why they are not valid; and, the potential benefits for communities that host prisons.
Unfounded Fears of Prison Proponents
Prisons are facilities that are needed in states, but the fears of the potential damage that they may cause in a community lead some to protest their construction locally (Krause, 1992). It has been estimated that in about 80 percent of prison construction experiences, resistance is found (Silas, 1984). The fears expressed by opponents of prisons fall into two basic categories: 1) safety concerns and 2) financial concerns. The following sections of this paper are going to examine the arguments of the opposition to prison construction and what researchers have found regarding these concerns.
Safety Concerns
The safety concerns of communities surrounding prisons are focused in three areas 1) the potential increase in crime rates, 2) the threat of escapes, and 3) the prospect that inmates’ families may relocate to be near the facility (Martin, 2000; Martin & Myers, 2005). These concerns can be especially salient in areas where crime rates have traditionally been lower and personal safety is perceived to be high (Silas, 1984).
Safety Concern #1: Crime Rates
The most often cited concern by opponents of prison construction is that crime rates will increase in the host community (Martin & Myers, 2005). The idea seems to be that having a prison nearby will bring crime to an area, or that the areas surrounding prisons are suddenly places where crime will be prevalent, which may result from the stereotypes people hold about prisons that may be media induced (Shichor, 1992). Repeatedly and consistently studies have found that communities with prisons do not experience increased crime rates (Abrams & Lyons, 1987; Sechrest, 1992; Abrams & Martin, 1987). In fact, some host communities have actually experienced a drop in crime rates after a prison has been built in a community (Theis, 2000; Abrams & Lyons, 1987). In Abrams & Lyons’ (1987) federally funded study on the effects of correctional facility on their host communities, the crime rates in all but one of the sites did not increase due to a correctional facility being built. In the last site, the crime rates actually dropped. There are multiple explanations why crime rates remain stable after a prison is constructed. One reason is the increased presence of criminal justice personnel in the area. More sheriff deputies, state police, and correctional officers will be in an area, providing increased protection with the increased numbers of visible representatives of the criminal justice system (Shichor, 1992). For example, Alaska state statute requires that an offender be released where they were arrested.
Opponents to prison siting also argue that crime rates could rise as more visitors associated with the prison come to the host community, as these individuals may be crime prone (Martin & Myers, 2005). Studies have found that these visitors, mostly family, are generally non-criminal and do not cause problems to the areas they are visiting (Abrams & Lyons, 1987; Shichor, 1992). Another concern voiced is that inmates will be released into the community that they were incarcerated in (Shichor, 1992). This is not the case, since most correctional agencies do not simply let prisoners walk out the front gate when they are released from incarceration. Most are provided transportation to the community they are from (Shichor, 1992), so they are not a potential criminal threat to the host community of the prison.
Safety Concern #2: Escapes
The ADOC plans to build a medium-security, secured prison in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough (RISE Alaska, 2006). As with any secured facility, there is always the potential that inmates may escape from the prison. The public, in general, has the perception that prison escapes are common and sensational, usually due to media coverage when the event occurs (Thies, 2000). In reality, prison escapes are relatively rare and the number of escapes has been declining over the last 20 years, as prisons are becoming more secure and as characteristics of offenders are changing causing them to be less of a flight risk. In addition to escapes being rare, escapees are nearly always caught quickly after they abscond. Escapees rarely commit crimes when they do escape (Culp, 2005), and if crimes are committed they tend to be minor thefts and larceny, not crimes that result in harm to individuals in the host community (Abrams & Martin, 1987; Culp, 2005). Finally, correctional facilities know immediately when a prisoner has escaped and many have implemented warning systems to provide the local community with information on the escapee and what to do when there is an escaped prisoner in the area (Culp, 2005). The result is that in the event inmates do escape, they usually do not pose much of a threat to the community surrounding a prison. Since escapes are rare, declining in rate, short in duration, and rarely result in heinous crimes being committed, the fear of prison escapees posing a danger to the host community is unfounded. Prisons and correctional officials do an excellent job of containing inmates and incapacitating them from committing harm against the community.
Safety Concern #3: Families will Relocate
The final safety concern of opponents to prisons being built in their community is that families of inmates will move into the area surrounding the prison in order to be closer to their incarcerated family members (Martin & Myers, 2005; Shichor, 1992). This concern is understandable since the link between criminal tendencies in a family and criminal tendencies of an individual has been found (Paternoster & Bachman, 2001). This fear also includes the idea that the influx of the families of offenders will place a strain the schools and social services of the area, which would result from the increase in community membership (Martin & Myers, 2005). Studies, however, find that families of inmates rarely move to be closer to a correctional facility, since most of these families are not financially able to relocate or are not that concerned with being in close proximity with their incarcerated family member (Shichor, 1992; Thies, 2000). For example, California Department of Corrections did not experience inmate families relocating near the prisons where their family members are located (Sechrest; 1992). This is because families of inmates only move to the area surrounding the correctional facility if it is located near an urban area, rather than a smaller community (Shichor, 1992). In addition, since crime rates do not rise in the communities surrounding a prison (Abrams and Lyons, 1987), the concern that inmates’ families will move to an area, engage in criminal activity, and burden the social services of a community is not supported.
Financial Concerns
There are a number of financial concerns expressed by opponents including negative impact on property values, increases in cost of living, stress on infrastructure, and impact on the environment. Each of these issues will be discussed below.
Financial Concern #1: Property Values
The greatest financial concern that opponents have is the impact that the prison location will have on property values (Martin, 2000; Smykla et al., 1984; Abrams & Lyons, 1987; Shichor, 1992). Opponents of prison siting in their community often feel that the value of their homes and property will drop once the facility is built, as is the concern with any unwanted facility, such as a landfill or nuclear facility (Shichor, 1992). However, this has not been found to be the case. Many researchers have found that property values are not affected when a prison is located nearby (Abrams & Lyons, 1987; Shichor, 1992). For example, the state of California found that the location of their prisons did not negatively affect property values in host communities (Sechrest, 1992). In some cases, evidence is found that property values actually increase after a prison is built (Smykla et al., 1984; Abrams & Martin, 1987). The only instances where property values actually decrease after a correctional facility is built is in communities where there is strong, vocal opposition to the prison. It is believed that the vocal opposition to the prison actually drives away potential homeowners and investors in an area, due to the negative media coverage of the community and its prison (Abrams & Lyons, 1987). The concern about property values lowering is unfounded, especially since prisons can generate economic development that would in turn increase property values (Smykla et al., 1984).
Financial Concern #2: Cost of Living
An increase in cost of living for an entire community is another financial concern that is commonly raised by opponents of prison construction (Martin, 2000). The concern is that the prison will cause a rise in prices of goods and services in an area. There is no support for this claim, and research has found that there is no increase in cost of living associated with a prison being constructed in an area (Abrams & Lyons, 1987). That is, prices for food, gas, rent, and other commodities will not increase because of a prison being present in the local area.
Financial Concern #3: Infrastructure
The infrastructure of an area can be stressed by additional buildings, so it follows that a concern for potential host communities to a prison is whether or not their existing infrastructure can handle the increased demand caused by a prison (Blankenship & Yanarella, 2004). Additional infrastructure includes sewer, water, waste, roads, and other services that are needed for a community to function. Research has found that policy makers usually take into account the capacity of the existing infrastructure when deciding where to locate a new prison (Cherry & Kunce, 2001; Shichor, 1992). Moreover, if constructing a prison in a region will stress the existing infrastructure, state officials usually improve the infrastructure in an area so that the prison can be built, increasing the services for both the prison and the community at large. In addition, many prisons are self-contained, having their own sewers, power plants, and other facilities, so that the additional construction does not affect existing services (Shichor, 1992). Furthermore, an increase in tax revenue collection from induced development where a prison is built provides additional funding so that communities can improve the infrastructure, if necessary, without straining the local budget (Blankenship & Yanarella, 2004). According to the Mat-Su Borough Prison Project Site Selection Report, the State of Alaska has taken into account the stress a prison will impose on the infrastructure of the region in which it will be built and are planning for this potential problem (RISE Alaska, 2006).
Financial Concern #4: Environment
A final concern raised by opponents to prison construction within their community is environmental. Although little research has looked at this topic, challenges to prison location for environmental reasons are few, with environmental groups rarely raising eyebrows at the sites chosen (Blankenship & Yanarella, 2004). This is explained by the fact that prisons are non-polluting. They are not factories or toxic waste facilities, which can harm the environment. Their only environmental impact is an increase in road, water, sewer, and waste usage (Schlosser, 1998), which would result from any economic development in an area.
Benefits Prisons Bring To Their Host Communities
Although opposition to prison construction cites many fears about what constructing a prison will do to a community, these concerns are generally unfounded. Additionally, the benefits that a prison can contribute to a community are significant (Sechrest, 1992). The advantages that prisons bring to an area outweigh the fears of opponents to prisons (Carlson, 1992). The following section of this paper will examine the benefits that can potentially result from a prison being located in an area.
Economic Benefits
Economic benefits are the greatest advantages that a prison can contribute to the community and region in which they are located. Therefore, economic factors often play an important role in where to locate a new correctional facility (Cherry & Kunce, 2001; Gibbons & Pierce, 1995), with the idea that a prison in a community will aid in economic development and growth of an area (Shichor, 1992; Hoyman & Weinberg, 2006; Cherry & Kunce, 2001). For example, the California Department of Corrections locates their prisons to help struggling areas rejuvenate economic development (Cherry & Kunce, 2001). Resistance to prisons being built in communities tends to reduce over time as the economic benefits of building a prison in an area have been more strongly established (Martin & Myers, 2005). Generally, the economic benefits that prisons bring to an area are significant (Sechrest, 1992) and rural areas may recruit prisons in order to develop their region economically (Blankenship & Yanarella, 2004). Abrams and Lyons (1987) found that prison construction had a positive economic benefit, if only a small boost, on all their study sites. Greater economic development was found for larger facilities, like the one the ADOC is planning on building. For example, in Washington State the host community of the Clallum Bay Correctional Center experienced economic benefits, which helped the area recover from the loss of its previous major industry. The model of that facility developing its local economy is now admired throughout Washington State (Carlson, 1992). It appears that Alaskan officials want to bring those economic benefits to the State of Alaska and out of Arizona, where the economic advantages of a prison holding Alaskans are currently being felt (RISE Alaska, 2006). When communities are faced with the prospect of being a site for a new prison, most business and civic leaders welcome the facility for the potential boost it can provide for the local economy (Blankenship & Yanarella, 2004), and economic benefits are found after the prison has been built (Thies, 2000). The magnitude of economic benefits experienced by a particular community is also related to the community’s “pre-prison” economic status, the existence of service businesses and a trained and educated workforce.
Economic Benefit #1: Jobs
The most obvious economic benefit that constructing a prison in a community will bring is jobs (Gibbons & Pierce, 1995; Abrams & Lyons, 1987; Blankenship & Yanarella, 2004). Most of these jobs would be filled by area residents (Shichor, 1992). Prisons can bring in many jobs into an area that are well paying, secure, and have guaranteed pensions. These jobs are often better than many of the employment opportunities in the host community outside of the prison (Blankenship & Yanarella, 2004). Additionally, prison jobs are not affected by globalization and cutbacks, since these jobs cannot be outsourced and are funded with public dollars, not private ones (Thies, 2000). Therefore, prison construction in an area can be a tool used to combat unemployment and a slumping local job market (Hoyman & Weinberg, 2006) by providing potentially hundreds of jobs for a region. The prison in Mat-Su Borough could bring over 1,000 jobs to the area, since the state of Alaska intends to hire mostly locals to fill positions in the facility (Shichor, 1992; RISE Alaska, 2006).
Economic Benefit #2: Goods and Services
Other than the increase in employment opportunities through the prison, further economic development results from a prison being constructed in a community (Abrams & Lyons, 1987; Hoyman & Weinberg, 2006). Local businesses are often in support of prisons being built in their communities (Martin & Myers, 2005). The advantage that local businesses often find is that a local correctional facility will increase demand for goods and services, such as contracting local companies to construct the prison or to provide food (Blankenship & Yanarella, 2004; Shichor, 1992). This can result in increased profits for local businesses and the development of further employment opportunities within the community, but outside the prison (Abrams & Lyons, 1987). Economic development also results from businesses moving into an area in order to serve the needs of the prison. These businesses are prison based industries and move into areas with newly constructed prisons to meet the needs of the facility that local businesses would not be able to fulfill (King, Mauer, & Huling, 2004). This business development will further increase employment opportunities in an area and also help develop the local economy.
Economic Benefit #3: Retain Youth and Political CloutThe economic development of a region through a prison has two additional affect that are quite unanticipated. The first is that younger residents of rural areas are less likely to leave an area if prison jobs are available to them (Blankenship & Yanarella, 2004). This is due to the boost that the local economy will experience by siting a prison within their community. The second is that an area will gain political influence, since prisoners are counted among residents of a community in the U.S. Census. Since representation locally, state-wide, and federally is determined by population, host communities often get more political sway than if they did not have a prison within their boundaries (Blankenship & Yanarella, 2004). Economic Benefit #4: Tax Revenues
Another benefit that a host community of a prison can experience is an increase in tax revenues. This increase in revenues results from the increase in sales of goods and services to the prison and prison employees and boost in property tax collection (Shichor, 1992; Blankenship & Yanarella, 2004). With careful planning and judicious use of public funds, the improvement in the tax base due to economic development can fuel further development and improvements in an area.
Economic Benefit #5: Inmate Labor
One last potential benefit for an area surrounding a community is the work inmates will do to improve the local area. When prisons allow inmates to work outside of the facility, these prisoners perform public works projects (i.e. landscaping, maintenance, litter collection), saving money for the local government and improving the local community (Shichor, 1992; Abrams & Lyons, 1987). The value of this work cannot be estimated, however it is one way a local prison can serve the needs of the community it resides in.

Summary and Conclusions
With the overcrowding issues in Alaskan prisons and the high cost of housing and transporting inmates to Arizona, the ADOC made the decision to build a new prison in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, after determining it would be the best location for a new facility (RISE Alaska, 2006). Resistance to prisons locating within a community is found with nearly all prison construction experiences (Martin, 2000). Nevertheless, the resistance to prisons in communities is often based upon incorrect information and is at odds with the numerous beneficial effects that a prison can have in an area (Carlson, 1992). As demonstrated throughout this paper the benefits of prisons outweigh the fears of opponents, since their concerns are unfounded. Based on our review of available research, the following summary and conclusions can be made:

• Prisons do not lead to an increase in crime in a local community. There is some evidence that crime rates actually decline, since there is a greater presence of criminal justice personnel.

• An inmate escaping from prison is a rare occurrence and is becoming even rarer. When an escape does occur, it is short in duration, it seldom results in serious criminal activity, and the local community is alerted of the situation.

• Families of inmates rarely move near the prison where their family member is incarcerated. Most of these families do not have the resources or desire to relocate.

• Prisons do not usually cause a decrease in property values in a host community. The only situation where property values decrease is when there is strong, vocal opposition to the facility, which drives away potential buyers and investors.

• There is no increase in cost of living associated with constructing a prison in a community; prices of goods and services do not rise.

• The infrastructure of a local community will usually be unaffected by a prison being built. Alaskan officials are already planning for any issues with the infrastructure of the chosen area.

• Prisons are non-polluting; therefore, the local environment will not be affected by a correctional facility being built. However, site specific concerns such as wetlands should be addressed through proper construction techniques.

• The siting of a prison can lead to economic development and benefits for a community. These benefits have been established and Alaskan officials hope to bring these benefits to their state. These economic developments can lead to unexpected positives, such as more young people staying in the area and more political sway for the local area.

• Prison jobs are secure and well-paid. Many of the employees in a prison are hired from those living in the local community.

• Local businesses tend to welcome prison construction as it results in an increase in demand for their goods and services, leading to profits for businesses and more employment opportunities.

• Corporations and businesses more into an area to serve the needs of a correctional facility that cannot be met by local industry. This increases the number of employment opportunities in a region and furthers economic development.

• Prisons can increase tax revenues in an area, due to the increased property tax and increase in sales. This increase in revenue can be used to improve the local community. Public works projects completed by inmates can also improve the community and serve its needs.
Works CitedAbrams, K.S., & Lyons, W. (1987). Impact of correctional facilities on land values and public safety. North Miami, FL: FAU-FIV Joint Center for Environmental and Urban Problems.
Abrams, K.S., & Martin, A.T. (1987). Prisons as LULUs: A sequel. Environmental and Urban Issues, 14, 18-21.
Blankenship, S.E., & Yanarella, E.J. (2004). Prison recruitment as a policy tool of local economic development: A critical evaluation. Contemporary Justice Review, 7(2), 183-198.
Carlson, K.A. (1992). Doing good and looking bad: A case study of prison/community relations.
Crime & Delinquency, 38(1), 56-69.
Cherry, T.L., & Kunce, M. (2001). Do policymakers locate prisons for economic development? Growth & Change, 32, 533-547.
Culp, R.F. (2005). Frequency and characteristics of prison escapes in the United States: An analysis of national data. The Prison Journal, 85(3), 270-291.
Gibbons, S.G. & Pierce, G.L. (1995). Politics and prison development in a rural area. The Prison Journal, 75(3), 380-389.
Harrison, P.M. & Beck, A.J. (2005). Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin: Prisoners in 2004. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.
Hoyman, M. & Weinberg, M. (2006). The process of policy innovation: Prison sitings in rural North Carolina. The Policy Studies Journal, 34(1), 95-112.
King, R.S., Mauer, M., & Huling, T. (2004). An analysis of the economics of prison siting on rural communities. Criminology and Public Policy, 3(3), 453-480.
Krause, J.D. (1992). The effects of prison siting practices on community status arrangements: A framework applied to the siting of California state prisons. Crime & Delinquency, 38, 27-55.
Martin, R. (2000). Community perceptions about prison construction: Why not in my backyard?. The Prison Journal, 80(3), 265-294.
Martin, R., & Myers, D.L. (2005). Public response to prison siting: Perceptions of impact on crime and safety. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 32(2), 143-171.
Paternoster, R., & Bachman, R. (2001). Explaining criminals and crime. Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury.
RISE Alaska. (2006). Mat-su Borough Prison Project: Site Selection Report. Anchorage, AK: Author. Sechrest, D.K. (1992). Locating prisons: Open versus closed approaches to siting. Crime & Delinquency, 38(1), 88-104.
Schlosser, E. (1998). The prison-industrial complex. Atlantic Monthly, 282, 51-77.
Shichor, D. (1992). Myths and realities in prison siting. Crime & Delinquency, 38(1), 70-87.
Silas, F.A. (1984). Not in my neighborhood. American Bar Association Journal, 70(27), 27-29.
Smylka, J.O., Cheng, D.C., Ferguson, C.E., Trent, C., French, B., & Waters, A. (1984). Effects of a prison facility on the regional economy. Journal of Criminal Justice, 12, 521-539.
Thies, J.M. (2000). Prisons and host communities: Debunking the myths and building community relations. Corrections Today, 62, 136-139.
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