GoFundMe campaign to back FOI request

The Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help uncover information that led to the city’s decision to eliminate retail space in the Pelissier Street Parking Garage.

The DWBIA announced Wednesday it is seeking the public’s financial help to raise roughly $14,000 the city requested to cover costs of a Freedom of Information request.

The business improvement association filed the FOI and is seeking emails, reports and other relevant paperwork that led to council’s decision.

Coming up with the money is not possible for the cash-strapped BIA, so the online fundraising effort has been launched to cover costs, said Larry Horwitz, the BIA’s chairman.

He described removing retail space from the parking garage as a step backwards in urban planning when many other municipalities are moving in the opposite direction of eliminating parking to add more commercial space.

“The decision was archaic,” he said. “They have decided to rip out a block of retail space on a main street downtown. We might be able to get information on what motivated them to rip out that retail space.

“It’s disappointing we have to go to these lengths in order to raise the money.”

The city clerk after receiving the FOI request determined it would require lengthy research and processing that would add up to a fee of $13,672.20.

“Hopefully, this information will make a difference,” Horwitz said.

Horwitz indicated as of Wednesday that $3,000 has already been raised through the GoFundMe campaign.