BIA looking to light up three downtown Windsor alleyways

Looking to light some of the darkest areas of the city, the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association is seeking a suitable tender to get the job done. 

The DWBIA said it's alleyway lighting project has been 18 months in the making, and they're finally looking to get the lights turned on by the end of August. 

"It is our belief with the installation of the lights it will create an enhanced sense and perception of safety and security within the downtown and make those alleyways a lot more usable for pedestrian residents, visitors and commercial property owners as well," said Debi Croucher, DWBIA executive director. 

Croucher said the city is doing its own research project when it comes to lighting alleyways, but that's happening in primarily residential neighbourhoods.

She said the businesses consulted in this project were all on board with the initiative, which is important because the lights will be directly installed on the sides of commercial buildings, and owners have agreed to foot the hydro bills. 

Still, the owners ar in full support of the project. 

"They've seen an influx in the number of folks gathering in vestibules and nooks and crannies of late — particularly in the last 18 months and that appears to be escalating."

The BIA has allocated $20,000 for the project, and Croucher hopes that will cover the first two alleyways in the project. She said the third alley will be covered in the 2019 budget if necessary, but the hope is to get the work done before the fall when daylight hours become shorter. 

The three proposed alleys are:

• The alley that runs north-south between Pelissier Street and Victoria Avenue.
• The alley that runs north-south from Park Avenue West to Maiden Lane West.
• The alley that runs north-south between Chatham Street East and University Avenue East.

The closing date for bids is July 17.

Police are also supporting the initiative, said Barry Horrobin, director of planning and physical resources at the Windsor Police Service.

"It has far-reaching public safety benefits," said Horrobin. "By putting lighting in an alley like this ... you're getting a net result that's going to be a lot safer and comfortable to use."

Horrobin said the lighting will help enhance video surveillance images for those businesses that have installed cameras. It will make it easier for police in their investigations. 

The DWBIA has been working with the University of Windsor's Visual Arts and the Built Environment on the project, as that campus recently moved into the downtown core. 

"These alley spaces we typically think of as back-of-the-house spaces but in many municipalities they're realizing that they're really thriving spaces," said Jason Grossi, an architecture and design professor.

"By simply doing the first step of lighting them up should change how they're viewed."

Grossi said the partnership gave students something "new and different" to tackle as they look to reinvigorate the dark spaces of the city's downtown core.