The Chair of the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association's Board of Directors says the proposed 2024 budget focuses on events, safety, security, and cleanliness.
Chris MacLeod presented the 2024 proposed budget during a meeting on Thursday evening. The approved budget for 2023 was $667,550, which was the same amount asked over the previous five years, but this year the ask is for $764,550.
He says while the budget does ask for almost $100,000 more than last year, they are looking to expand some events and services this year, as well as keep the current services offered.
Money has been set aside to continue events such as the Downtown Windsor Farmers' Market, the Ouellette Car Cruise, the Santa Claus Parade, as well as new events that will be announced later this year.
The budget for 2024 is looking to increase street cleaning services throughout the downtown core, and where it previously stopped at Wyandotte Street, they are looking to extend it to Giles Boulevard to include the Downtown Mission.
MacLeod says they wanted to help out around the Downtown Mission since they do such incredible work.
"It was an area where there was an excessive amount of garbage, and so it's really your first impression when you come downtown. And so we've extended our street cleaning program so that we'll go all the way up to Giles with our street cleaning, and we really think that that'll be impactful to your first impression when you come into downtown."
He says they've allocated budget for downtown lighting.
"We're working with the city on some long-term plans around enhanced lighting downtown, and then our safety and security program as well. So, looking to continue on the efforts that we made in 2023 without sacrificing all of the great events and things that we want to bring back."
MacLeod adds that they want to keep events the same.
"For the large part we continue to support the events that we had in 2023. So the Downtown Windsor Farmers' Market, the Ouellette Car Cruise, we're bringing the Santa Claus Parade back downtown again in 2024, as well as some events that we'll be announcing in the next few months that we've secured for this year."
The proposed 2024 budget was approved by the DWBIA Board of Directors, and will now go to Windsor city council for final approval.