Windsor artist looking to reclaim Ford City

By Millar Hill

Deserved or not – Drouillard Road has had a bad reputation.

But that hasn’t stopped the neighbourhood’s residents, businesses owners and the BIA’s collective effort to curb that stereotype.

“The roots down here are so strong and you can feel that,” said reclaim artist Michael Difazio.

While looking for spaces to open a furniture business, Difazio found Ford City to be the best fit for it. As a teenager, he was told not to hang around the neighbourhood and that peaked his curiosity.

Years later he started his business on Drouillard and its flourished ever since.

Difazio reclaims old furniture and turns it into pieces people want to have in their homes. His business timed well with the neighbourhood looking to reclaim the area.

“The bad reputation never phased me,” said Difazio. “It’s like my work, if there is an imperfection in something, we don’t fix it- we enhance it.”

The city has implemented stamped concrete, benches and flower beds along Drouillard Road to make it more appealing.

Melissa Carey, a volunteer with Ford City Resident’s in Action, says they are working on cleaning up spaces so they are available for residential and commercial businesses to rent.

This will eliminate many of the empty store fronts along the road.

Difazio works closely with the Ford City BIA.

“Difazio is bringing in different people. Aside from a younger crowd, we have more and more people interested in the real estate now,” said Carey.

“He’s got a lot of ideas and he backs them up. He has so much to offer for the area aside from his business,” she added.

Crime has been a contributing factor to the area’s bad reputation but that has decreased over the last five years.

According to the United Way,  crime across the city has been down, but in priority neighbourhoods – including Ford City, crime has decreased at equal or greater rates than city averages.

For example, property crime has decreased seven per cent across the city, but in those priority neighbourhoods it has decreased by 12 per cent.

Difazio says there is a real sense of pride in the area.

“That’s something I don’t know a lot of neighbourhoods can say, that they are proud of their roots. We get to make a difference here. It’s what we get to decide and work towards,” said Difazio.

Difazio’s passion is not only evident for his craft, but also for Drouillard Road. He says he’s embraced the reputation Ford City is known for and is ready to make it better.

“It’s only a matter of time before this neighbourhood is as desirable as the rest of they city,” said Difazio.