$5.6M plan for Riverfront Festival Plaza development passed by city council

The City of Windsor will be pre-committing $5,583,650 for a plan to develop the Riverfront Festival Plaza after council's approval on Monday evening.

The plan includes putting in entrances to the plaza, partitioning the space to allow for several events to happen at the same time and eventually, a permanent canopy over the stage area to provide shade and protection from inclement weather.

Renaldo Agostino, president of Element Entertainment, spoke during council and said improvement to the space is much needed. People are more than happy to go to the plaza when there's a big event, he said, "but when it's empty and not in use, it looks like an old parking lot with potholes sitting in front of the nicest outdoor stage anywhere in the world."

The permanent canopy could also bring in more visitors and provide opportunities for events to be held during the day.

"Because of the way it was done and because of mother nature, you just don't want to be there at 3 o'clock in the afternoon on a hot, sunny day," said Agostino. 

Results from the public consultation held about this proposed plan would reflect his comments.

In 221 responses, 85.1 per cent of people say they wouldn't visit the plaza if there was no scheduled event, and the top three reasons are "nothing to do," "lack of seating," and "lack of shade."

Accessible walkways and washrooms

One of the main features of the plan that addresses concerns raised during the public consultation is having access to the pedestrian and bike path during events. Over 70 per cent of people also felt there needed to be washrooms at the plaza.

In the development plan, there will be a recreational trail added along Riverside Drive "to connect the new accessible ramp at the back of house to the Glengarry Intersection," according to the presentation to council by Landmark Engineering Inc., the designer of the plan.

Daniel Krutsch, consultant at the company, said that the current trail makes it "awkward" for people to get around when there's an event. Once the diversion route is built, there will be "a proper continuation" of cyclists, pedestrians and other trail users' paths even when the trails are closed for special events.

He added that building accessible washrooms made sense because event organizers then wouldn't have to worry about bringing portable accessible washrooms.

Permanent canopy

The proposed canopy will be covering the area where the audience would be if there was a stage event. It will be a permanent installation, final design still pending.

Krustch said the structure to hold up the canopy and the canopy itself is a $3-million project that would come in the third phase. 

Manager of parks management at the city, Mike Clement, said even if there isn't a canopy, they will try to add shaded spots to the plaza for visitors.

"So we're just going to extend that Rotary Plaza idea all the way down the river block," he said.