NFL Draft Party offers insight into what’s needed downtown
“It's going to be a great first step to the redevelopment of the Civic Esplanade at city hall,” said Mayor Drew Dilkens.
Ouellette Avenue between Park Street and University Avenue was packed for the after party, bringing the total attendance at the event to about 6,000 people.
“I think there's going be some pressure to get things moving a lot quicker than they usually do because we could see the benefits from what happened here this past weekend,” said Coun. Renaldo Agostino.
There is no economic tally from the weekend, but Jim Arbour, owner of Lefty's on the O, said he had his best night in about 13 years.
“I know we can't do it every weekend, but it would be nice if we could do this once a month just to draw people downtown and show what downtown can be again,” Arbour said.
A few doors down, Vito’s was open for the event.
“If they do the same thing [that] they did last weekend, I'll open my doors every day,” said owner Vito Maggio, who has opened his downtown location randomly since taking over the building at the corner of Park Street and Ouellette Avenue.
He feels there aren’t enough people downtown to operate regularly.
“I want to go downtown because I love downtown just like I love Walkerville, so I'm there. They do what they have to do I'll be there,” Maggio said.
Agostino would also like more street closures and is looking into having hydraulic bollards set up across the downtown core.
“You're going to see someone say, ‘Wow, there's all these people coming down here, let's buy that space over there. Let's open up a restaurant over here. Let's do this here so it all works together.’ We [have to] start that ball rolling,” Agostino said.
The city is hoping the ball starts rolling when the Strengthen the Core plan is voted on in May.
“They're saying this is great. Let's see it move forward, so if it's not this plan, what's the plan and how are you going to fund it and how are you going to get it done?” Dilkens said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Group tied to Islamic State plotted fatal Ontario restaurant shooting: Crown
A gunman who is accused of killing a young Ontario man and shooting four of his family members at their small Mississauga restaurant in 2021 was allegedly part of a trio who had pledged allegiance to the listed terrorist group Islamic State, a Crown attorney said in an opening statement in the Brampton murder trial this week.
Board orders deportation for trucker in horrific Humboldt Broncos crash
The truck driver who caused the horrific bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team has been ordered to be deported.
'We recognize there's more to do': Trudeau responds to U.S. senators' defence spending letter
Stopping short of offering the assurance U.S. senators are seeking, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government is aware there's more work to do in order to see Canada meet NATO's defence spending target.
Italian teenage computer wizard set to become the first saint of the millennial generation
Pope Francis paved the way for the canonization of the first saint of the millennial generation on Thursday, attributing a second miracle to a 15-year-old Italian computer whiz who died of leukemia in 2006.
Top Russian military officials are being arrested. Why is it happening?
It began last month with the arrest of a Russian deputy defense minister. Then the head of the ministry’s personnel directorate was hauled into court. This week, two more senior military officials were detained. All face charges of corruption, which they have denied.
'A really bad car crash': Why health experts are raising concerns over surging syphilis cases
A sexually transmitted infection (STI) that was once thought to be a thing of the past is now a public health priority for North American doctors.
Morgan Spurlock, Oscar-nominated director of 'Super Size Me,' dies at 53
Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, an Oscar-nominee who made food and American diets his life's work, famously eating only at McDonald's for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet, has died. He was 53.
Milk sold in Canadian grocery stores tested for avian influenza; results released
As avian flu spreads south of the border, Canadian officials are now testing samples of milk sold in grocery stores across the country.
Leaving time on the table: Surveys show unused paid vacation, 'quiet vacationing'
'Quiet vacationing' is the latest new term to describe the rough edges of office culture, and survey data shows it's widespread among North American workers.