Retail space on the ground floor of the Pelissier Street parking garage will be converted back to parking spaces.

Council voted 7-4 to make it official at a special meeting of Windsor city council Monday night.

The motion, put forward by Coun. Fred Francis, provides current tenants six months to vacate the space. The eight commercial units will be converted into roughly 42 parking spaces.

A previous motion by Coun. Rino Bortolin attempted to keep the retail space open, and hire an agent to market the space to potential suitors. That motion failed, 7-4.

A number of delegates attended tonight's meeting, making impassioned pleas to keep the retail space open for potential bidders.

Among them was Luis Mendez, the owner of True Fitness gym, who made an expression of interest to the city to use 7,000 square feet of the space. His initial expression was criticized for being a “low-ball offer,” though Mendez noted he was willing to come back to the table to re-negotiate a fair deal.

Professional urban planners told council reverting to parking would be bad policy and urged them to retain the retail space.

Mayor Drew Dilkens says the debate over what to do with the ground floor space has raged on for 11 years, and tonight was the time to end the debate once and for all.

“This has been an issue that’s been hanging out there that continues to get deferred,” Dilkens remarked before the recorded vote. “The vacant retail that I see along Pelissier Street is certainly a dead zone.”

Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Area chair Larry Horwitz was very emotional and didn’t mince words after the meeting.

“Council made a terrible decision and went against its official plan by allowing a themed street to become a parking lot,” said Horwitz. “It is an irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars to pay $500,000 for parking that is not needed and there is no report to prove the demand.”

“I’m extremely disappointed, and I’ve lost confidence in this council,” he said, before walking away.

Mayor Dilkens, Councillors Jo Anne Gignac, Paul Borrelli, John Elliott, Ed Sleiman, Fred Francis and Hilary Payne all voted in favour of the conversion back to parking. Councillors Rino Bortolin, Irek Kusmierczyk, Bill Marra and Chris Holt voted against the motion.