City of Windsor workers fill parking garage city refuses to sell, says downtown BIA

The majority of spaces at the Pelissier Street parking garage are taken up by city workers with a "sweetheart deal," according to the chair of the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association.

City council voted Monday night against considering an offer to buy the money-losing property. DWBIA chair Larry Horwitz said the decision raises a lot of questions.

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Horwitz said his organization filed a freedom of information request to learn more about how profitable the parking facility is and just who is using it.

"As of October last year, 190 spots, which is more than three quarters of the parking garage, is taken up by city workers that the city has a sweetheart deal with," he said.

That deal includes a $20-per month flat fee which breaks down to city employees paying roughly a dollar to park each day, he added.

"I understand if the city used this as an asset to bring business downtown and fill up the shops and let them pay their taxes, that would be great," he said. "But they're not, they're using it as a cell to hold their city workers at $1 a day." 

Windsor's chief administrative officer Onorio Colucci confirmed city employees are currently using about 170 of the 350 spaces at the Pelissier Street garage. Those workers were paying a $20-per month fee, but their latest collective agreement will include "some increase," he added.

Colucci also said the city-owned property has been moving towards a more "positive" financial trend in recent years.

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"I wouldn't say it's losing, it's been subsidized," he said. "Just about anything the municipality does it's done for the good of the community."

In 2014, subsidizing the garage cost the city $260,000 compared to an estimated goal of only $60,000 in 2016, he explained.

"It's not something that's done to make a profit, we try to run it as efficiently as possible, but clearly the intent is to make sure it's an affordable parking solution for people that want to come downtown," Colucci said.

Government shouldn't run garages says entrepreneur

After the city council meeting, Mayor Drew Dilkens said he wasn't interested in entertaining any offers on the garage because it's a "strategic asset" for the downtown.

Windsor entrepreneur Mark Boscariol, who had approached council with a bid to turn the parking garage into a dual-purpose event space featuring local art, said it's mind-blowing the city isn't even willing to listen to ideas.

"I don't believe it's the function of the government to run garages," he said. "I wish the government would stick to the business of government. I have a plan to make it profitable, they don't."