Asian International BIA District

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Proposed head office site of the Asian International BIA District




Can-Am
Tourism Development Inc.
canamtdi

Present Day

March 2012 Peter Lui and his group change course and propose a BIA for Wyandotte St. W. from Crawford Ave. through to California Ave.
• The proposal submitted to Windsor City Council is here. Asian_International_District_BIA.pdf


• Monday March 12 2012 - City of Windsor Council Services receives Peter Lui's latest proposal
• Monday March 19 2012 - Windsor City Council Agenda Communications stamps the proposal which is deferred to administration.
• Monday March 19, 2012 - CBC announces, "West End to host Windsor's very own Chinatown or better known as International Asian BIA - CBC News Windsor (Late Night) - March 19, 2012 broadcast (*1)
• *1 : The Asian BIA portion of the CBC broadcast begins at about 3 minutes into the segment.
• Monday March 19 2012 - windsorite.ca - Group Plans for Asian/International District and BIA on Wyandotte Street West

Asian_International_BIA_District_Tuesday_April_17_2012.pdf - Chris Soda Letter of April 19 2012



What is a BIA and what are the responsibilities of it's members?

City of Windsor Business Improvement Areas
THERE IS NO FREE LUNCH ! This BIA will cost money, and not just grant monies, annually, no matter what you may hear to the contrary.
• Windsor's Ward 2 where this BIA is being proposed - .


• My Saturday March 24, 2012 letter to the community - - ChinatownWiki front-page March 24 - 31, 2012
• Jack's letter to Windsor City Council - on our behalf - 中文 p1 中文 p2


History of Thunder Court, Peter Lui and the Can-Am Tourism Development Inc.

• July 09, 2008 - Peter Lui, Windsor Chinatown reinvented Windsor Star Article
• July 18, 2008 - Chinatown Unveiled - scaledown.ca article.


Will light rail ever become a reality for Detroit, Windsor and the Asian International District?

See this article presented by the Detroit Chamber of Commerce on the Detroit River Tunnel Partnership paragraph 2.
It seems our American neighbours are not eager to cut us or Peter a break on this issue any time soon.




The present proposal comes into clear view once you understand the journey that Peter has been on and the difficulties he has faced on this journey. The question now is, "Are you prepared to join Peter in his struggle to complete his dream using your own treasure to that end? This proposal if achieved will give new life to Peter's ambitions, which may or may not be your ambitions. Letters in English and Chinese are being prepared to explain the present position of this proposal and to ask you a series of questions to gain a proper insight into the thoughts of those who have been identified within this proposed zone and will be sent to Windsor City Council.








The following article appeared on the front page of ChinatownWiki from Saturday March 24. 2012 through Friday March 30, 2012



. . .-. . .



Saturday March 24, 2012

To those who need to know. I am sorry that I have not followed Mr. Peter Lui and his Chinatown plans more closely since beginning this project. Once again I am being asked for details that I really don't have and especially anything in the nature of first hand knowledge - - at least until now and not directly from Peter or his associates. As most of you know this is a hobby project with limited resources and even fewer data entry hands on deck. The focus has been on assisting businesses one by one achieve an online presence to enhance their ability to communicate their services to the community at large. S.A.R.S, 911, the aftermath of 911 where cross border traffic steadily declined to the point of business closures, the choking of streets with endless lines of transports plugging Wyandotte St., University Ave., and Huron Line for miles and then as if we all hadn't struggled enough, the Global Financial meltdown. All of these events contributed to the decision to take action to create this project. A small token of affection for a community that I have lived and raised a family within these past 35 years.

As for Peter's project, I have been asked by some prominent business people over time if I would be interested in assisting Peter and I gave an affirmative response at the time. The latest requests came in late 2010. I am open to any and all inclusively rather than exclusively. There is only so much one can do with personal time and resources unfortunately.

So get to the point Michael. Ok. This is what has happened in the last hours since the CBC broadcast a couple of days ago.

I immediately began to field calls from friends asking why I hadn't told them about the NEW CHINATOWN PROJECT. I hadn't told them anything as this one had nothing to do with me or my WindsorChinatown project. Recalling past announcements I felt compelled now to become presently aware. I discovered the CBC News Windsor (Late Night) - March 19, 2012 broadcast (*1) that had started this series of calls and watched it several times. I also found a report of the same events at Windsorite.ca. That led to the chance capture of a document listed by Google at a discontinued (URL) internet address. I followed the quick view cached link and there was Peter's submission to council Monday May 19th 2012, all 33 pages of it which I sat down to read through. After the first reading I forwarded it to close friend and project tech support consultant Jack Eisenberg for advise on what I was seeing.

DOWN TO CHINATOWN

After all it is the business owners within this proposed region that must understand and acknowledge what is being proposed on their behalf. As stakeholders, they will be the ones footing the bills in the long run. SURPRISE is not the best word to describe the reactions Jack and I received upon sharing the most recent iteration of Peter's plan but it is the word I am going to stick to for now. It is not possible to meet and share with everyone in the outlined region within a day, but we found no-one who knew what Peter had been up to and were let's say not pleased by the current proposal. Some reactions were just too strong for my own sensibilities to repeat here. To be clear, I do not know Peter nor his partners and had developed no opinions then or now. I am a guest tenant and close family friend of the Louie family at Asian Square on University but not a true stakeholder in any of this. I had however uncovered a hornets nest of emotions.

What is abundantly clear is that Peter and his partners have not been transparent and open about their plans with the very people they propose to govern. Signatures gathered are undated and many are given by long retired and closed business owners, or NOT the new owners of signed businesses. No one is going to say no to an offer of improved business as I have witnessed through my own project. I have given freely of my services and the community has been spoiled somewhat by that. When they discovered that there was to be an imposed cost to each of them once this current proposal is accepted by city council well - - - not everyone said no, but were deeply miffed at not being told in advance such that they could prepare themselves or decide if Peter and his group were up to the task of serving this current mix of owners. What I mean by the last statement is that it seems that there is a healing that Peter must be prepared to undertake before he will be given any consideration by the people we had spoken to and apparently knew him very well.

Personally I am disheartened as anything that could improve the aesthetic of these neighbourhoods is long overdue. So if not Peter, then who? That should be up to a collective of owners that will ultimately need to yield to their BIA willingly and hopefully eagerly and enthusiastically. An example of progress without a BIA is happening now at the corner of Campbell and University where May Wah Inn is located and Sam and Alice Louie's Asian Square too.

• If you wish to see the documents Peter submitted to council, you can find them at Asian_International_District_BIA.pdf
• If you wish to see a map of Windsor's Ward 2 where this BIA is being proposed.
• For insight into the long road that Peter has travelled thus far. Windsor Star Article
• Another article with illustrations for a much grander plan. Chinatown Unveiled
• What is a BIA and what are the responsibilities of it's members? City of Windsor Business Improvement Areas

Will light rail ever become a reality for Detroit, Windsor and the Asian International District?

See this article presented by the Detroit Chamber of Commerce on the Detroit River Tunnel Partnership paragraph 2. It seems our American neighbours are not eager to cut us or Peter a break on this issue any time soon.
*1 : The Asian BIA portion of the CBC broadcast begins at about 3 minutes into the segment. (thank you pointing that out J)



Thank you for understanding the difference between the online Chinatown project and Peter's bricks and mortar Asian International BIA. Now it's time for me to meditate a little and get back to my quiet little office to peck away at another update or new business entry. Warmest regards to all and a wish for a happy and prosperous solution to all of our economic hopes and dreams as we move forward under the guidance of the Year of the Dragon.



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