The Canal to Hell

Can you believe that Eddie Francis and his so called committee of experts are ready to bring this crazy idea for a canal to city council for approval? Just what will this canal project accomplish and/or result in? The cost alone to build and maintain this project will be astonomical and just where will the dollars come from? Will this result in any new tax dollars that could be used to improve the overall quality of life in our city? When we are desperately trying to conserve energy and resources, how will eddie explain the cost to taxpayers to keep this "canal" clean, risk free and viable to a community that is about to die because of his lack of leadership and vision? Oh, you think a canal represents "vision" - DAH!
What about the fate of the neighborhoods that will have to be expropriated in order for fast eddie to accomplish his "dream"? Will this project bring more residents to a jobless community? DAH! Is this mayor totally crazy!!!
If the City of Windsor cannot support a symphony orchestra, an art gallery, a long lost theatre, how can we expect to keep a "canal" as a positive attraction to the city?
I'm not sure how many of you have ever visited the city of Cairo in Egypt. Well let me tell you about their "canal". The canal which winds through the Island of Zamalek is a tributary of the Nile River. What was once an attraction, has, over the years, turned into a horrible cess pool of tons of garbage, dead animals (donkeys, horses, dogs, etc) decaying either in the water or on the banks of the canal, a stench that you can't imagine and a breeding ground for all sorts of stench and disease. No doubt, our Windsor "canal" would never get that bad; however, what we really need to address here, as citizens of Windsor, is just what exactly is the purpose of this "canal" and how will it benefit the citizens and taxpayers of our once great city?
How deep will the canal be? If the canal is deep, will there be a fence around the edge to stop people (and kids) from falling in the water? Don't forget, we have bylaws about "water" and "people" in close proximity! How will our so-called administration manage litter, garbage, etc. that will accumulate around this "canal"? If our administration is trying to eliminate expenses in the municipal budget, where will the money come from to maintain the proposed cesspool?
And, what about the Japanese gardens located in the vicinity of the proposed cesspool? How much does the City of Windsor pay to maintain this area and how many citizens in Windsor actually know that this garden exists?
At this point in time, Windsor needs a whole lot more than a "canal"!!! What we need is a focus on fixing the problems that currently exist in our community, certainly not more projects that will overtax the citizens who will benefit very little from another grand idea by a brainless leader who definitely needs to shake his head and remember where he lives!

Linda Balga