Ward 4 residents want cleaner streets, better transit, and fewer rats

Urban blight, the need for better transit and concerns with on-street parking were some of the issues raised at the Ward 4 public meeting Tuesday night.

More than 100 residents gathered at the Caboto Club to hear Mayor Dilkens give his flood plan presentation, and to raise their issues with Ward 4 Coun. Chris Holt.

• City staff seeking to help BIAs with consistency concerns
• Councillor calls for 'complete streets' in Windsor
• Massive parking lot planned for former GM plant site

Holt told the crowd there are a number of reoccurring problems he's heardabout, including arat problem, illegal dumping in alleys, and plans for the old GM site on Walker Road.

Holt said he is confident the automotive staging area the Essex Terminal Railway is creating on the old GM lands won't be a problem for residents.

"They've got extensive landscaping plans for this property,they want to minimize the burden," Holt told the crowd. "I have a good belief they have taken our concerns to heart."

Holt said the tearing down of the GM plant has been partly to blame for the rat problem in the city, after the pests were driven out of the building. He also creditsthe hard-sided garbage container bylaw for getting rid of skunks which kept the rat population in check, and he said the flood also drove a lot of rats out of the sewers.

"There are so many prongs to this that are out of our control," said Holt.

Holt alsotold residents if they have issues with garbage dumped in alleys, to give him a call and he will put them in touch with volunteers who clean up the areas.