A local radio show is asking Windsor’s business leaders, city councillors, local media and union leaders to use only transit to get around town.
The Rose City Politics Transit Windsor Challenge runs from today (July 20) until Sunday and is taking place to start a conversation about public transportation in the region.
Paul Synnott, one of RCP’s panelists, said he’s hoping people who haven’t ridden the bus in several years will, after riding the bus this week, see the challenge Windsorites have every day.
“It’s hard to have a grasp of the problems and the difficulties the average daily bus user faces,” said Synnott.
“It’s important for Windsor and as a county eventually, if we get regional transit, for our long-term goals to have an excellent bus system. Not an adequate one, but an excellent one.”
Synnott wants to see more movement by those in charge of both transit and council to consider the importance of putting money into the budget so more improvements can be considered when budget time rolls around.
So far two city councillors, Ward 3’s Rino Bortolin and Ward 4’s Chris Holt have accepted the challenge, but due to personal injury, Bortolin is unable to participate as planned. Holt said he still plans to hop on the bus to get the experience.
“It’s not just riding the bus and figuring out where the strengths and weaknesses are, but it’s also sharing those experiences and getting the dialogue going,” said Holt. “We need to have this discussion, we can’t just sit back and let it happen organically.”
Although he said he never backs down from a challenge and will ride the bus occasionally this week, Holt said he will still be using his bike as well because the exchange of a 10 minute bike ride for a 40 minute bus ride can be difficult.
Other community members who have signed up include Snackbar-B-Q owner Mark Boscariol, Kieran McKenzie, campaign organizer for MP Brian Masse, and executive director of Leadership Windsor/Essex Becky Parent, who also challenged all alumni of the organization to join in.
Read the original article on ourWindsor.ca HERE
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