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
U.K. prime minister calls national election for July 4
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a national election on Wednesday, naming July 4 as the date for a vote his governing Conservatives are widely expected to lose to the opposition Labour Party after 14 years in power.
Woman found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017 matches identity of missing person in Switzerland
Genetic genealogy has helped Toronto police identify a woman who was found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017.
Fish oil supplements may raise risk of stroke, heart issues, study suggests
As an excellent source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, daily fish oil supplements are a popular way to keep the risk of cardiovascular disease at bay.
Private island on Nova Scotia's South Shore listed for $15.8M
A private island on Nova Scotia’s South Shore has been listed for sale with a $11.5-million USD price tag.
DEVELOPING Blood vial delivery prompts evacuation of Republican headquarters in Washington
The headquarters of the Republican National Committee in Washington, D.C., was briefly evacuated on Wednesday morning after a suspicious package containing two vials of blood was delivered to the building, the police said.
'Happy tears' of victim's sister after prison attack on serial killer Robert Pickton
Cynthia Cardinal said she was 'overwhelmed' with happiness when she received a text message on Monday with the news that serial killer Robert Pickton, who murdered her sister, was attacked in prison. She called it 'karma.'
Montreal photographer captures dramatic Canada goose vs. fox fight on video
A Montreal photographer captured the moment a Canada goose defended itself from a fox at the Botanical Garden.
'On the edge of failing': Most of Canada gets a 'D' on poverty report cards
Poverty and food insecurity have worsened in most of Canada in the past year and most provincial governments aren't doing enough to address the problem, according to a just-released series of report cards.
World's most expensive feather sells at New Zealand auction
A feather from a long-extinct New Zealand bird has set a record after selling for $46,521 NZD (about US$28,400), the auction house handling the sale has said.