A Picture Is Worth A Lot Of Dollars

Spike Bell does not have to worry. As you can tell from the photographs I took, he does not have to be concerned about me being his competitor.

WINDSOR'S PREMIER ARENA FACILITY GEM

I took this photo about a month ago from Lauzon Road. Don't blink too quickly as you drive over the railway tracks or you will miss the view.

Pretty magnificent sight isn't it of our multi-multi-million dollar, on budget, on-time premier sports facility! In fact it is awe-inspiring. As in, AWWWWWWWWW are we paying $65M and counting for THAT!

I trust that there is something more there now for the big tour for residents that is to take place.

It's another property in town that is a "jewel." You'd think that we not only can afford to have Breakfast at Tiffany's but lunch and dinner as well with all of the diamonds in the rough in this City.

I read Gord Henderson's column some time ago where he waxed eloquent about the work being done there. I went out to photograph the site at the time but just did not have the space to post the BLOG until today

• "Meet me at the security gate next to the Lear plant in 30 minutes," barked Sadler. A believer in show and tell, rather than vacuous press releases, he figured I should see with my own eyes how this long-awaited complex is taking shape.
  
  And the answer? It's really and truly happening. Tucked away behind the Lear plant, out of sight from Tecumseh and Lauzon roads, work on this 302,000-square-foot complex is racing forward and making up ground lost during strikes by labourers and equipment operators that set it back more than a month...
  
  [Collavino] understands why the arena is flying under the public radar. "I really think people don't know where it's at. It's a golden gem hidden away. The Lear plant and the old Woolco store do a really good job of hiding it." That will change this fall as the dome rises and with the extension of adjacent McHugh Avenue from Lauzon to a new Little River bridge to be built in 2008."

My photograph is taken from Lauzon right near the railway tracks. And you know what, they were right: hidden, flying under the public radar, Lear plant do[es] a really good job of hiding it.

TUNNEL PLAZA EXPROPRIATIONS


We now know what I have suspected. The Tunnel Plaza Improvement project is over budget ie the project was to cost $30M split amongst the three Governments. We have not yet been told what the new cost is. I have heard it is in the many millions over budget.

One needs to ask: Is there really a need for the expansion of the Tunnel Plaza?

I generally use the Tunnel to cross over to the US since it is more convenient for me. I wanted to cross over on Friday morning a few weeks ago around 7:30 AM or so and it looked like it was jammed since traffic was backed up on Goyeau.

So I thought I would try the bridge instead. It flowed smoothly with two or three cars in line ahead of me at Customs. I got through in no time at all!

My point is that more and more people may choose the bridge if the Tunnel has such problems.

Nevertheless, Governments, just willing to spend taxpayer money no matter what, may be moving forward at the Tunnel even if expansion is not needed. Burger King may have lucked out to get their move now.

I hear that the Burger King and Top Hat people may be close to a deal too. Burger King and the City negotiated something acceptable re the Drive-Thru. Perhaps the other land owners in the area can get their deals done now!

Some people may have thought the Tunnel improvements were falling through with all of the delays. I just happened to see this building which is across from the Tunnel entrance and the sign on it.

It looks like a pharmacy and Laser clinic were planning to go there.

Can you imagine the rent money that the owner of the building would receive if these 2 organizations opened their facility "soon!" Now the owner loses the rental if there is an expropriatiation. If the 2 groups started doing work on their leasehold improvements and then they are expropriated, then they would lose a bundle too. The amounts could be huge by the time this is done.

Obviously, these people acted like Fred's Market on Huron Church when they were in front of Council some time ago. They could not put their business on hold waiting for DRIC to make up their mind! In the same way, these people could not put their businesses on hold waiting for Eddie to make his mind so they moved forward.

From the phone number it looks like the owner of the building is the Windsor Detroit Tunnel Duty Free Shop Inc. or is somehow associated with them since that is their number. The extension given is the phone number of its Vice-President. That ties in with story the Star published in 2004 in relation to closing a portion of Goyeau which said:

• "Along the stretch of Goyeau being considered, the only building not owned by either the city or the Windsor Tunnel Duty Free Shop is a Burger King franchise opposite the tunnel entrance."

There could be some tough negotiations over amounts I would guess. I wonder if the expropriations will drag on as long as those at the Norwich Block and with all of the bitterness! But at least in this case the Feds and Province pick up two thirds of the amounts up to a project limit of $30M although I thought the City was to do the negotiating.

My assumption is that if the amouts go over $30M, City taxpayers have to pick up the balance.

You know what I was just thinking....Canderel here we come again!

We may have the best border crossing and Tunnel plaza that cost millions to create...except most everyone will use the Bridge! And then if a new DRIC Bridge is built to further divide the traffic, very few may use the Tunnel at all.

Thanks Mayor....you can have your Tunnel Canderel too as your legacy with us paying for it!