'Diamond in the rough': unlocking the potential of Windsor's alleys

The United Way has some solutions for how to make Windsor's network of alleys more attractive and safer for residents.

The organization spent one year studying how to adapt the alleys, at the request of a number of community partners. This week it released its report 'Alleyway Revitalization,' as a tool for development. 

The report proposes the City of Windsor rethink its 150 kilometres of alleyways by transforming them into bicycle paths and commercial spaces. The report also suggests some alleys could be transformed into nighttime-lit parks and community gardens.

Closing some alleys

The United Way also advocates for the complete closure of some alleys to prevent people from setting up camp or leaving used syringes behind.

Windsor police don't track alley incidents separately from other criminal activity, and publicly available data for bylaw infractions uses property addresses for incidents that might occur in alleyways. This makes it difficult to track what happens where.

The report calls for resident consultation to determine what alleys should be closed. Report author and United Way director of improvement Frazier Fathers said residents in some areas with unlit alleys claim the lack of light contributes to a feeling of insecurity, which is compounded by the presence of drugs and garbage. 

Fathers' report also concludes some alleys are just too expensive for the City of Windsor to maintain. Fathers said it would cheaper to close those alleys and extend backyards into the space, which would allow for tax increases later.

"Alleyways are a diamond in the rough for the City of Windsor," said Fathers. "There's some really great opportunities for those alleyways to be better utilized and create community revitalization in the City of Windsor."

Inspired by what is done elsewhere

A few of those opportunities include highlighting unique history, naming alleyways (similar to Maiden Lane in the downtown core) and allowing restaurants to use alleys as their patio space. 

With a research background in public policy, Fathers and his team called five other municipalities to see what they do to deal with alleyways. 

"In Calgary, the restaurants have patios behind rather than on the sidewalk," said Fathers. "In Hamilton and Aurora, they both use alleyways for block parties and pop-up events like food trucks and art festivals."

Fathers said it's a new way to think about these spaces.

According to Fathers, places like Montreal even use their unpaved alleyways as community gardens or civic green spaces.

"Alleyways are tied to a number of aspects of life that people overlook, or they could be leveraged for those aspects of life."

Fathers wants Windsor to take the opportunity to "unlock the potential" of the city's alleys.

High-cost complaints

Data collected by Windsor 311 show 281 requests have been made for alley repairs last year. 

"That's just for basic maintenance," said Fathers. "Residents have told us after a big rainstorm the alley doesn't drain because there are so many potholes. You have to do those very basic things."

Fathers said the basic maintenance has to come first, before "grand plans" can be put into place. 

In the 2018 budget, the city approved some lane repair funding increasing from $100,000 to $1.1 million each year. $250,000 is listed in the proposed municipal budget for 2019. The minor alley maintenance program is set to receive $200,000 for 2019. 

This story has been adapted from a Radio-Canada story.