Some young Rotarians are looking to start a dialogue between community leaders and downtown Windsor residents.
The Rotary Club of Windsor Young Rotary Leaders put together a panel that included Windsor police, The Downtown Mission, The Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association and the Downtown Windsor Residents Association Thursday night. Around 40 people made it to the University of Windsor's Centre for Creative Arts to discuss everything from crime and homelessness, to business development and urban planning.
Young Rotary Leader's Chair Aaron Zimmer says solving the city's problems in two hours is impossible — the goal is to get those in attendance to keep the conversation going.
"Hopefully they come away from this conversation and have an insightful conversation with their colleagues, their family at home or at their workplaces," he says."
Zimmer tells AM800 News the discussion is also meant to remind people that human interaction exists offline.
"We're losing the ability to just sit across from somebody and read their body language, hear their inflection, watch their eyes as they think over a topic, we lose that human touch that is very much a pivotal part of being an engaged citizen."
The event is part of the group's ongoing civic-engagement series.