City council will have a chance to review cost options to improve or enhance security at municipally owned facilities like Windsor City Hall or the WFCU Centre.
A report is going to Monday's council meeting in response to a question raised in May 2023 by Ward 4 councillor Mark McKenzie, who requested administration bring forward a report on the feasibility of increased security measures at certain city-owned sites.
The report details the annual costs and one-time costs for the various technology options, including staffing, maintenance, supplies, and other recurring expenses.
To improve security screening for public meetings at City Hall, the total cost options in the report range from $14,000 to over $98,000, depending if the enhanced security involved guards with metal detector wands, portable metal detectors, or advanced AI scanners.
For screening during major events at the main bowl of the WFCU Centre, the total cost options range from over $155,000 to nearly $663,000 for the same three options.
Ward 4 councillor Mark McKenzie says he will ask that the report be referred to budget deliberations to start the conversation.
"I think definitely for venues like the WFCU Centre, especially when you look just up the 401, London has metal detectors at every OHL game and every event that's happening at Budweiser Gardens. I think it's something we should definitely be looking at because we have to keep our residents safe when they're hitting up events at the WFCU Centre," he says.
McKenzie says he wonders why Caesars Windsor can offer security screening but the city is not doing it for events of a similar size at the WFCU Centre?
"I'm all about being proactive. I'd rather be proactive than reactive. I know administration has said we haven't had any problems yet. Yes, luckily we haven't had any problems yet, but I don't want to see us have any issues either," he says.
McKenzie hopes this report at least starts a conversation about the cost.
"What is the cost of being safe? Do you really want to go down that route? When you look at city hall, guards with wands are only $14,000. It's not like it's a huge cost, but I think it should be something referred to budget because of the climate we're in currently," he says.
Members of Windsor police are posted in the gallery of council chambers during regular city council meetings.
City council meets at 10 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 23 in council chambers at 350 City Hall Square West.