Latest news with #WindsorCity
CTV News
13-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
City Hall Square unveiled
Windsor Watch The City of Windsor unveiled the long-awaited renovations to City Hall Square on Sunday morning.
CTV News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Cutting budgets or cutting grass?
Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens is addressing residential complaints about tall grass in some municipal parks around the city. Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens is addressing residential complaints about tall grass in some municipal parks around the city. Naturalized parks are drawing complaints in Windsor, as some parks have uncut grass. Mayor Drew Dilkens addressed residential complaints about the tall grass in the city by clarifying not every park is being naturalized. Only under-utilized areas in certain parks are returning to a more natural state. This move follows city council's discussion of the future of city parks while setting the 2025 capital budget. 'It was a budget savings … a minor budget savings … but now that we are letting that happen, we are getting opinions on both sides,' said Dilkens. In 2009, during the city workers' strike, the grass went uncut. Dilkens said back then, residents praised the natural look. The city will continue to try different options.
CTV News
08-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Windsor city councillors call for more action on open-air drug use
Windsor city council wants to crack down on people using drugs in public. CTV Windsor's Bob Bellacicco explains. Two Windsor city councillors say there needs to be more action when it comes to open-air drug use. Ward 3 councillor Renaldo Agostino says other municipalities have implemented plans dealing with drug use on city streets. 'In some cases they are taking the drugs away, they're taking paraphernalia away. In some cases they are laying charges. A lot of it comes with compassion. A lot of it comes with education,' says Agostino. Other communities across Ontario, including Sarnia and London, have stepped up their efforts to clean up open drug use from their streets and Agostino wonders if the same can be done in Windsor. That's a question he'll bring up at council. 'What this is about is gaining back some control of our streets,' he says. Ward 8 councillor Gary Kaschak says he'd like to see a blitz in Windsor. 'The open drug use is just not good. We've seen an instance of that even in Ward 8 here in Windsor and people don't want to see that,' says Kaschak. While Windsor police haven't committed to a formal enforcement blitz, they acknowledge the community concerns surrounding open drug use. 'Whether it is downtown or any other place in the city we will strategically place our officers where they're needed,' says Const. Bianca Jackson. Since Strengthen the Core was put in place last year, officers and auxiliary officers have become more visible. 'We are doing our best to collaborate with our community partners to make sure the vulnerable in our community get the services they need for their health, care and well-being,' Jackson. A one-day blitz in Sarnia conducted last week led to five arrests for open drug use including one charge of trafficking. While there is frustration over drug use and the lack of arrests, Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley feels when the health heart hubs open those days could come to an end. 'You'll be 30-days off drugs and alcohol before you go into this place but you'll get everything. Housing component, you'll get health care component, the addiction treatment. That is the key and I'm hoping the province will do that right across the province,' says Bradley.
CTV News
01-07-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
City councillor backs field upgrades to attract new baseball team
Windsor is taking a swing at a new baseball team. CTV Windsor's Robert Lothian has details. An effort to bring a new high-level baseball team to Windsor is receiving support from a Windsor City Councillor. In an interview with CTV News, Gary Kaschak, the representative for Ward 8, said he would back upgrades to a local baseball diamond to facilitate the added play. 'I believe this is city building, you know, to get something like that and we'd have to make some improvements,' Kaschak said. The news comes following confirmation that stakeholders in Windsor have reached out to the Intercounty Baseball League about forming an expansion team in the Rose City. The independent league already features 10 teams, including squads in Chatham-Kent, London and Toronto. Kaschak noted it would be a 'fantastic' addition to the city's existing sports culture. When asked about a home for the potential team, he suggested Mic Mac Park's Cullen Field. Amenities at the chosen park must include concessions for fans and change rooms for players and umpires. Large attendance figures in recent years mean teams must also have sufficient seating space. 'I think adding seating would be no issue, but maybe a few more of the amenities that you would need,' Kaschak said. Inside the baseball community, there's excitement over the potential for more baseball in the city, but not if it takes away from current levels of play. Bill Kell, the treasurer of the Riverside Minor Baseball Association, feels there's no available time at the existing diamonds. 'If they come in and have to have these facilities for their use for those number of games and practices and so forth, you know, it'd be the demise of some of these organizations,' Kell said. To accommodate more baseball, Kell said there needs to be a partnership between the potential team and the City of Windsor to build a new stadium in the downtown. He added, if done successfully, the IBL players will serve as 'heroes' to players in his league. In the long-term, both Kell and Kaschak were optimistic a team in the IBL could allow Windsor to eventually draw in an MLB team's minor league affiliate. 'Maybe getting an Intercounty League team might be the prelude to that moving forward,' Kaschak said. 'How great would it be to be a farm team of the Detroit Tigers or, you know, have a farm club of the Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland [Guardians] in Windsor.' In the event Windsor is successful in attracting an IBL team, players could take the field in the 2026 or 2027 season.
