General Consensus: Youth are looking for a place to gather for socialized events such as teen dances and band nights to showcase local talent (Other activities could be youth run talent shows, fashion shows etc) The number one priority is a safe and secure place in a venue designed and built by youth. The venue should be located away from the downtown core so that teens are not mixed with the alcohol and rowdiness associated with the downtown on weekend nights.

As a result of the recent Mayor’s Youth Town Hall meeting held to discuss matters of concern to young people, such as a youth venue or facility, the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee (MYAC) will be hosting a follow-up session to discuss a “Youth Venue/Facility” on Thursday, September 14th, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, 3rd Floor, City Hall. MYAC is inviting all interested youths and proponents to present the committee with ideas.

If you wish to appear as a delegation, please notify Karen Kadour at 519-255-6222 extension 6430, or by e-mail at kkadour@city.windsor.on.ca. Please note that presentations are limited to five minutes. Also, if you require audio-visual equipment, please provide notification no later than 2:00 p.m. on October 12, 2006.

Youth Venue Public Forum:

A public forum was held on September 14th, 2006 in regards to the issue of establishing a youth venue/facility along with barriers and ideas.

Please read the minutes as outlined in the PDF File. [PDF FILE HERE]

Final Report to Council - Feb 07

REPORT ON A PROPOSED YOUTH VENUE/FACILITY FOR WINDSOR

Recommendations:

I) That Council recognize the need for the establishment of a permanent youth oriented entertainment and recreational facility for the youth of Windsor.

II) That Council consider entering into a public, public/private or private partnership for the construction and operation of such a facility.

III) That the Administration be requested to prepare a report to examine the availability of locations suitable for such a facility (as outlined in I above) and report the findings to Council.

Background and Issues:

Devonshire Mall has become one of the central venues in the City for entertainment and after-school fun. The Mall on average sees 500-700 youth on Friday and Saturday nights who socialize, hang out and shop. However, countless times we have read and have heard of the increasing problem of youth being removed from the premises for a variety of reasons. The issue has gotten so big that many customers avoid Devonshire Mall on Friday and Saturday nights due to the overcrowding of youth.

The struggle for various individual initiatives to hold youth concerts in the city is a prime example of a need for a youth entertainment /activity facility. Colin McMahon, a local band enthusiast who has worked tirelessly showcasing local music has been hindered countless times by zoning and bylaw violations. His venue, coined “The Vault,” grew enormous attention and drew large crowds to its weekly shows during its short duration. This facility was operated by a youth for the youth.

Over the course of our 8-month term we have also heard from many residents who favor such type of initiatives. The lack of youth activities could lead to a whole set of cultural and social issues such as youth crime (robbery, vandalism), drugs and violence (gangs). Within the past year, we have witnessed the fatal shooting of Constable John Atkinson by a youth in our community. Gangs from Toronto have recently spread fear and a sense of belonging in our community has diminished as vandalism and graffiti have increased. This is a growing concern as evident with the recent increase of budget towards police crime prevention. With such a designated youth space - a place to learn, socialize, be safe, have fun and be entertained - would most definitely benefit Windsor as a whole. A sound policy and strategic planning by Council with the input of youth will set the direction toward a healthy, empowered youth culture for the City of Windsor.

Actions of Other Municipalities:

Other cities such as Burlington, Ontario and Ann Arbor, Michigan have been acting as role models in establishing successful youth oriented venues as briefed below.

Ann Arbor Teen Center

The Ann Arbor Teen Center was founded by teens in 1998 to provide Ann Arbor area high school youth a venue for needed social, cultural, educational, recreational and creative opportunities. The center is open year round and has recently moved locations. Between 50-75 young people come to the Neutral Zone each afternoon and between 250-300 regularly to attend weekend concerts and special events, resulting in over 19,000 teens annually.

Burlington – Velocity A Place for Youth

In May of 2000, the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee (MYAC-Burlington) presented a report to Council, identifying the need for a ‘safe, fun and entertaining place’ for teens in high school to gather and socialize with their peers. As a non-alcoholic club for Burlington teens, the venue operates as a place to gather with friends, listen to DJ music or bands, dance, order a light snack, play some pool, air hockey or foosball and socialize with friends in a safe and non-threatening environment. The facility offers a comfortable and inviting atmosphere for local youth. The décor was chosen based on its appeal to the teen market and the activities/events are based on teen interests as identified by local youth.
The Velocity “Youth Club” is a facility that is a safe place for teens to gather on Friday and Saturday nights from 8:00 o’clock p.m. to midnight. There are also opportunities for community use that includes rentals for birthday parties, graduation parties, dances, as a venue for church youth groups and for sports organizations.

The Windsor Solution:

These two examples illustrate the local opportunities that could exist for the youth of our City.

Appealing to youth, the notion that a ‘designated youth’ venue with a business operating plan that is focused on a youth environment and other revenue generating opportunities, concludes that it will be more youth friendly in nature.

It was identified at Windsor’s Mayor’s Youth Town Hall Forum held in 2005, over 150 youth widely supported a place for teens to have a youth oriented facility.

Furthermore, MYAC held a ‘sequel’ to the town hall forum in August of 2006, which allowed youth to express what they envisioned for a youth venue. It was there that we concluded,

“Youth are looking for a place to gather for socialized, fun and entertaining events such as teen dances, band nights, talent or fashion shows etc. The number one priority is a safe and non-threatening venue designed and operated by youth. The venue should be located away from the downtown core so that teens are not mixed with the alcohol and rowdiness associated with the downtown on weekend nights and accessible by public transportation.”

Another public consultation session was held in September 2006 solely on the issue of a youth venue that drew even more support. (See Minutes)

However, MYAC has identified obstacles within the City that makes it difficult to move forward.

The Entertainment Lounge By-law:

In 2005, Council adopted By-law 212-2005, creating an “Entertainment Lounge District” (ELD) the only location for new entertainment lounges to be permitted. It also set a maximum patron limit of 250 people per lounge and allowed only one entertainment lounge per lot. However, those entertainment facilities already existing outside of the ELD were recognized as legal uses and could continue in operation, termed ‘grandfathered sites’.

An entertainment lounge is defined as “a building or part thereof where patrons are provided with entertainment, in the form of live and/or pre-recorded music, a dance floor, and may include, in combination therewith, the sale of alcoholic beverages to its patrons for consumption therein or within a physically defined open air sit down area located on the same lot therewith, but does not include a restaurant or public hall”.

The by-law provides an obstacle for any new entertainment lounges outside of the downtown ELD without going through a rezoning and public scrutiny. This was specifically intended to eliminate the possibility that the social problems that occurred with bars in the downtown would not occur elsewhere in the City.

Two problems arise from this:

1) Under the Charter of Rights, the City cannot zone by user, only by use. That means no special privileges could be given to operate a youth oriented entertainment facility, even if it has a non-alcoholic venue.

2) Council retained Downtown Dynamics to examine the impacts of these new regulations on the business improvement areas (BIAs) outside of the downtown and they concluded that the new regulations are acceptable to BIAs.

Therefore, under present circumstances, local bands and youth activity organizers have two limited choices as identified by the Planning Department. They can:

1) Contract with existing entertainment lounges to have special youth nights, if that is acceptable to the LLBO; (Note: Alcohol consumption at any youth event would be unacceptable)

2) Have special youth nights in public halls. Public halls have the ability to accommodate a variety of activities and, as long as operations are not on a regular basis, the entertainment lounge provisions should not apply.

Possible Actions:

The Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee has consulted with many youth throughout the community and has determined that Windsor is in need of a “designated youth venue” that provides a safe, fun and entertaining place for teens to gather and socialize with their peers.

In further consultation with the Planning Department, we have identified three options in regard to an operation of a youth oriented facility in the City of Windsor.

1) As a temporary measure, rotate events on a monthly basis at different community centers/public halls to provide a basis for the phasing in a permanent future youth venue. (This recommendation has already been established through youth activities in local community centres and public halls with strong support from area youth, which has lead to requests for a designated youth venue).

2) As a longer-term measure, acquire a permanent facility and operate it under a public, private/public or private initiative on a ‘grandfathered’ site, preferably one that is directly accessible by Transit Windsor. This would provide youth a one-venue facility for all events.

3) Alternatively, acquire and rezone a new site not already grandfathered under the entertainment lounge by-law.

Contact Prerna Chandak at pchandak@windsoryouth.com for more information.