Windsor SEEN Urban Design Agenda

According to the Official Plan, Dougall Avenue and Howard Avenue are two designated Civic Ways. These significant roads are to be designed to promote and present an attractive and unifying image of Windsor; maintain a sense of welcome and arrival for travelers; create a memorable impression of Windsor; and complement and enhance the Municipality's capital investment in major infrastructure.

The City of Windsor has begun exploring how these policy intentions for Civic Ways can be implemented, focusing on the Dougall Avenue Civic Way and the Howard Avenue Civic Way, through an Urban Design "Ideas Charrette" held at Kennedy Collegiate Institute, on March 22, 2006. The public was invited to attend this community forum to discuss and explore ideas concerning permanent design improvements along Dougall Avenue Civic Way and Howard Avenue Civic Way.

This was the first step towards the implementation of WindsorSEEN Project #26, as approved by Windsor City Council on August 25, 2005, following from the temporary median treatments installed last summer.

At the Ideas Charrette, the public was encouraged to develop ideas and concepts through a brainstorming session regarding permanent improvements that they would like to see achieved on the Civic Ways.

Dozens of solutions for both Dougall Avenue Civic Way and Howard Avenue Civic Way were suggested to remedy the similar issues identified at both locations. Some of the ideas presented were:

• Addition of recreational corridors and greenways
• Beautification of both Howard Avenue and Dougall Avenue
• Use of traffic calming techniques
• Use of the EC Row Expressway underpasses and approaches as a focal point and a Gateway Feature
• Identification of Civic Way through transition nodes and Gateway Features

The implementation of the next steps in this WindsorSEEN Project will be affected by two factors:

1. Budget
2. Council decisions

The next steps are to:

• Compile a report of ideas and suggestions to be presented to Council
• Have Administration and public consultations further develop ideas collected on March 22, 2006

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

Planning Department
Suite 404B, 400 City Hall Square East
Windsor, Ontario N9A 7K6
Phone: (519) 255-6543.
Fax: (519) 255-6544
Email: planningdept@city.windsor.on.ca