Residents warn against terminal move

Residents of Ward 2 gathered at Windsor City Hall last week to speak against moving the west end Transit Windsor terminal from College Avenue to Hotel Dieu-Grace Hospital.

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Among the residents present was Mary Ann Cuderman, a longtime outspoken member of Sandwich Towne and owner of the Olde Towne Bake Shoppe.

Cuderman said moving the terminal now would be a case of “putting the cart before the horse.”

“There has been a great deal of money allocated for this new location,” said Cuderman. “This money could be used on the present location to bring it to a full-service hub, and partnership with the Sandwich Community Health Centre could provide facilities for the drivers.”

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Cuderman went on to say that she wants the vote to move the terminal from Prince Avenue at College Avenue to be deferred until the Transit Review has been completed.

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Member of the Windsor Transit Watch Joey Wright clarified this review.

“To relocate the terminal now without knowing how it will factor into this final review is, in our opinion, shortsighted,” said Wright, who attended with acquaintance Raymond Hoang.

Wright restated Cuderman’s wish to defer the vote until after the review is complete so that the community can be better informed on the ramifications of the move. Wright also added that rider statistics have changed with the recent influx of international students to the area.

“An open and honest review is what needs to be done,” said Wright.

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Another concern from Cuderman is residents who used the Sandwich Community Health Centre, a facility that is currently less than a block from the existing terminal. She has concerns that older patients who cannot or do not use their own cars may need to walk more than what is safe for them to reach a bus stop after the move.

“A lot of their clients do rely on public transportation to get there,” said Cuderman, with an emphasis on clients who use wheelchairs.

“Another aspect of what became quite clear was the change in the bus routes. What was proposed the last time we had a meeting about this is that there will only be a bus going one way in front of that health station,” said Cuderman. “If (clients) had to go back from where they came, they would have to go two or three blocks to catch the bus. It was not very conducive to vulnerable people.”

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Local historical storyteller Terrence Kennedy also had concerns regarding the Transit Terminal structure and planning.

“There’s no direct service from the terminal to St. Clair College, which would take three busses off of the routes on one side so that the busses wouldn’t be crowded,” said Kennedy.  “You see how these buses are literally jam-packed and the busses pass you and the driver said ‘you have to wait some more.’ That doesn’t make any sense.”

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Other issues of the night included the intersection of Coventry Gardens and Ford Boulevard, an intersection that some nearby residents describe as a hazard.

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Local residents offered anecdotal evidence on Twitter, such as Alyssa Leonard.

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During Brenda Clarke’s presentation regarding the intersection, she put forward the idea of using the City of Windsor’s new coloured or raised crosswalks idea to help ensure safety at this intersection.

In regards to the terminal, the vote will be deferred for another month and Sandwich residents said that they would be back to continue the discussion.

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