$1.6M relocation of west end bus terminal to Prince Road to begin

Windsor city council has decided to move ahead with a proposed relocation of the west end transit terminal, from College Avenue to Prince Road.

Seventeen delegates spoke at council Monday night, with 12 of themencouraging council to defer itsdecision or reject the relocation altogether.

"I'm very disappointed with the decision that was made tonight," said Coun. Fabio Costante,who wanted to defer the issue. "I think councillors that supported moving it were looking from a transit point of view. I don't think we gave the community's concerns enough weight."

Costante said the fact consultation sessions were held "doesn't mean we did it right," adding some of the people who showed up to the open meetings were hospital staff.

"I can tell you, 95 per cent of folks were opposed to this, for good reason."

Delegates concerned about less transit access for Sandwich Towne

Ward 5 resident Richard St. Denis agreed with Costante, and said there hasn't been full consultation with the public.

"Information is currently not in front of you," said St. Denis.

Some of those delegates were concerned with taking transit access out of Sandwich Towne.

"Decreasing routes in the west end will be detrimental," said Ward 2 resident Caroline Taylor. "Why would we want to make life harder for those residents?"

West end activist Mary Ann Cudermancalled the move "putting the cart before the horse," questioning who the transit terminal move would benefit.

Terminal would move to Hotel-Dieu Grace campus

Hospital representative Bill Marrasaid they were pleased with the decision, but concerned about the "divided community."

"We need to address the realties of the facts," said Marra, highlighting the community activities the west end hospital campus is involved in, including Coats for Kids and United Way projects. Marra said they would reach out to the various groups who opposed the move.

"This decision was not about Hotel-Dieu, not about Prince Road nor College Avenue," said Marra, who is the vice-president of external and government affairs at Hotel-DieuGrace Healthcare. Marra also spent about a decade as chair of the transit board when he was a city councillor.

"Any changes with ridership or routes, it's a system improvement. I think council made the right decision."

Marratold council and delegates there was "no financial relationship" behind the relocation.

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A look at Transit Windsor's big ridership increase

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Transit Windsor is dealing with a 22 per cent increase in ridership.

Mayor responds to delegates, discusses other options

Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens said the University of Windsor wasn't a good option, because it only operates eight months a year. He said leaving the terminal "stranded as an island" in its current location is not a good idea.

Dilkens said it was "absolutely false" that there was no public consultation on the matter.

"Residents had an opportunity to share their opinion at two different consultations," said Dilkens, adding that executive director Pat Delmore and the Transit Windsor team also consulted the public at bus stops.

"There aren't a lot of them who are actually transit users," said Dilkens about the delegates who spoke. "Even if you couldn't come here tonight, the riders could have expressed their dissatisfaction with us, and they haven't."

Dilkens said it wasn't a "rush" decision to get a $100,000 contribution from the federal government.

"I think this is the right thing to do for the system," said Dilkens, adding the move would contribute to the regional transit approach already underway with access to LaSalle and Essex County.

The project will begin as soon as possible, and will costroughly $1.6 million.

Here's our live blogof the conversation from Monday's council meeting: