A city committee wants to see if Open Streets can happen more than once a year in Windsor.
The Community Services Standing Committee approved a recommendation during Tuesday's meeting that will see the annual event alternate between the east and west-ends but also asked administration to look at the feasibility of staging it twice a year.
Ward 3 councillor Renaldo Agostino says administration is a victim of their own success.
"You've done such an amazing job with Open Streets and I just feel there's another opportunity to be had here, especially if we work with our BIAs to do something special here for the city," he says.
Open Streets involves closing down eight kilometres of city streets and roads to allow people to walk, bike or run through the streets and engage with various businesses and activities.
Agostino says Open Streets is a winner.
"You go all in on this because this is a winner, this is a winner," he says. "When you've got a winner, you back that winner and I think we should double down on this."
When it comes to the possibility of staging the event twice a year, administration told the committee that one of the biggest challenges is the availability of volunteers to staff the barricades along the route
The vast majority of volunteers come from St. Clair College and the University of Windsor.
Ward 2 councillor Fabio Costante says this is an incredibly successful event that's grown year-over-year.
"I'd love to see two a year. This is such an incredible, incredible event. I'm glad that we're are introducing new neighbourhoods, I'm fully supportive of that. I don't think it should be a zero sum game, I think we should support two a year," he says.
It costs around $62,000 to stage Open Streets.
This year's event is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 17.
The approval of alternating Open Streets will see the event move to an east side route in 2024 to include the Olde Riverside, Pillette Village, Ford City, Ottawa and Erie Street Business Improvement Areas.
The route would then return to the previously approved downtown/west-side route including the Walkerville, Wyandotte Town Centre, Downtown, and Sandwich Business Improvement Areas.
The plan to alternate Open Streets between the east and west-end still needs final approval from city council.
A report on what it would take to stage Open Streets twice a year is expected to be presented at a future meeting.