Bike Windsor Essex dissatisfied with council's decision on bike-share program

Bike Windsor Essex doesn't think the City of Windsor is any closer to getting a city-wide bike share program after council's decision Monday night.

• City considers bringing bike-share program to Windsor
• U.S. bike-share company wants to expand to Windsor

The non-profit organization wanted council to approve $70-thousand for a feasibility study, a business plan, preliminary station location and a marketing analysis.

Council decided they would approve the feasibility study and also look at the way the City of Hamilton operates its bike-share program, but voted against doing a full business plan, station locations or the marketing analysis.

"We are going to be behind because we are not willing to dive in and roll our sleeves up and get something exciting done for our city," Lori Newton, the executive director of Bike Windsor Essex said following council's decision.

"It's the Windsor story."

Hear more from Newton on CBC's Windsor Morning:

Newton said she feels like the organization is back to square-one and council will be missing out on provincial and federal funding.

"There are dollars that are coming down right now from the government … that is really, very much, a missed opportunity," she said.

Mayor Drew Dilkens said he wants to further look into whether or not this concept will work in Windsor.

"The most appropriate next step was to say 'Let's look at the feasibility study to see if this will actually work in City of Windsor,' and if the answer is yes let's keep moving forward," said Dilkens.

"You have got to do this in a prudent way, so I think what council decided tonight was the most prudent next step."