Windsor's Ford City neighbourhood is in for a facelift.
City council has approved $250,000 for a Community Improvement Plan with the money to be used for neighbourhood upgrades including like porch repairs and window replacement.
The Co-chair of the Ford City Redevelopment Committee, Kerry Ippolito says it's a big win for the neighbourhood.
"I couldn't have imagined a better outcome," she says. "There's a lot of people in the community who have houses that their porch is falling down, their windows need replacing and this is just the perfect opportunity to help them out a little bit."
Ford City Redevelopment Committee Co-chair Kerry Ippolito (Photo by AM800's Zander Broeckel)
The CIP includes a residential rehabilitation portion as well where residents can access financial help for a minimum investment of $1,000.
Ippolito calls it the last piece needed in the revitalization of Ford City.
"I think anybody who has been in Ford City and actually has gone through there and spent a little bit of time, gone for a stroll, you see the differences that are happening there," she says. We've gone so far on our own and now this is just a huge tool that's going to bring us over the other side of the mountain."
Ippolito also believes this could be a deciding factor for some businesses considering opening in Ford City.
"I know that there's multiple businesses that are just waiting for this to be passed, so they can jump on the bandwagon," she says. "I have spoken to several neighbours just in my own block who are already doing some work and I'm telling them, "You're going to be able to do a little bit more if this passes."
The money for the Ford City CIP will come from $1.1-million in unused funding in the city's Brownfield Redevelopment Fund.