A request to fast-track the installation of street lights on Banwell Road between E.C. Row and Tecumseh Road was denied by Windsor council.
Ward 7 Coun. Irek Kuzmierczyk was looking to pull $70,000 of allocated funds forward from future budgets.
Kusmierczyk says testimony from residents at nearby Banwell Gardens Care Centre highlights an immediate safety need for street lighting in that area.
"This is an absolute fundamental issue for the residents who live there and utilize this road every single day," the Ward 7 councillor said.
Police Chief Al Frederick agrees with a report published by the police force that street lighting in that area would make it safer.
“Would any stretch of road in the City of Windsor benefit from additional lighting? Yes,” he said to council Monday night. “But does it make this road unsafe, not according to our data. Not at all.”
Frederick noted 5.8 accidents on that stretch of Banwell per year over the last decade isn’t a big number when compared with city-wide data.
“I wouldn’t classify this by any stretch of the imagination as an unsafe stretch of highway, based on our data,” said Frederick.
Coun. Paul Borrelli noted the data doesn’t support the immediate investment.
“It was very clear from the data from the chief of police, Chief Frederick, that only 1.1 accidents per year over 10 years on the average occur during the evening,” said Borrelli.
He also pointed to process, and setting a precedent regarding pulling funds from future years against city policy. Coun. Rino Bortolin disagreed.
“Moving it up one year is something we do all the time,” rebutted Coun. Bortolin. “We have done it many, many times. We have moved up projects depending on priories, depending on the availability of the funds.”
Coun. Chris Holt called it an easy decision.
“We’re talking 70-thousand dollars for lighting that the vast majority of it will be able to be reused. It’s not that difficult and that’s why I’m supporting the motion,” said Holt.
The motion ultimately failed on a hung vote, with councilors Elliott, Sleiman, Francis, Payne and Borrelli voting against. Councillors Kusmierczyk, Marra, Holt, Bortolin and Mayor Dilkens voted for, with Coun. Gignac absent.
City staff however indicated funding for the lights could become available as early as 2019, with complete road-reconstruction also planned in future budgets.
It’s not soon enough for Kusmierczyk and the delegates who spoke to council in favour of lighting.
"I don't want to wait 22 years. I don't want to wait five years. Frankly, I don't want to wait a year to get these basic street lights on Banwell Road,” Kusmierczyk said after the meeting. “That is a priority, that is a basic infrastructure. We had an opportunity to get it done tonight and unfortunately, council decided to go a different direction."
