Windsor's two biggest downtown parking garages will soon get long-overdue facelifts.
City councillors, by a 9-1 vote, approved a motion at Monday night's meeting to spend $4.1-million to do extensive renovations on the Goyeau St. and Pelissier St. parking garages. Ward 7 councillor Irek Kusmierczyk was the lone "no" vote.
Mayor Drew Dilkens says that once everything is said and done, the parking structures will look a lot different.
"It's upgrades in lighting, it's upgrades in security, it's aesthetic upgrades in making sure the stairs are safe and that tiles aren't missing," says Dilkens. "Fixing elevator lobbies and doing all the things that people expect from coming into a parking garage that's going to be safe, clean and inviting."
The main issue the mayor hopes will be addressed is the physical condition of the garages, which is something that is very prevalent when more people are downtown on weekends or during special events.
"I have been crystal clear for many years that I think our parking garages downtown smell," says Dilkens. "I think they're unsightly, I think we have to do better. I'm on the record saying that. Today, we brought a report to city council saying 'Here's how you can do better', and council adopted that report."
The $4.1-million price tag will not come from the taxpayers, says Dilkens. The mayor says the $6-million from city's recent sale of the parking garage in the Canderel Building will be used to upgrade the Goyeau and Pelissier structures.
Dilkens says he hopes to begin planning for the upgrades this winter, with the work progressing throughout 2018.
The garage renovations were not the only major project approved by city council Monday in its final session of 2017. The city is also going ahead with a plan to build a new branch of the Windsor Public Library in Sandwich Towne at a cost of $5.5-million.
