Dozens attend event to meet with new Ward 2 city councillor

Dozens of people attended a community meet-and-greet for a chance to speak to Windsor's newest city councillor, Frazier Fathers, at Mackenzie Hall on Dec. 3, 2025. (Meagan Delaurier/AM800 News)

Dozens of people attended a community meet-and-greet for a chance to speak to Windsor’s newest city councillor, Frazier Fathers.

The event took place on Wednesday evening at Mackenzie Hall.

Residents were able to ask questions or address concerns within Ward 2 in a Q&A style, before being able to branch off and speak with Fathers one-on-one, or to speak with city administration.

Fathers was elected in a special byelection held Oct. 27, following the resignation of Fabio Costante in June.

While he had already been elected when his Ward 2 meeting was held, he hadn’t been officially sworn-in, and wanted to host another meeting for a chance to hear from residents.

Some of the main questions or concerns raised from residents included alleys, transit, lack of funding for major arterial roads such as University Avenue, improvements to parks, and concerns around vacant buildings within the ward.

Terrence Kennedy is a Ward 2 resident and says he had a few concerns, mainly around truck routes within the area.

“Whether it’s about the Gordie Howe, or the Ambassador Bridge, or whether it’s just the trucks that come up and down Sandwich Street now, or the trucks that are going to be coming actually through the neighbourhood because they don’t want to sit in line on Huron Line, they want to find the quickest shortcut that they can find.”

Joseph Papic owns property in Ward 2 and says his main concern is the condition of University Avenue West.

“My interest is the reconstruction and redevelopment of University Avenue. They’re doing one segment of it now, but I think it’s probably the most important infrastructure project in the City of Windsor right now, linking the university and downtown. And so, what I would like to see is that whole stretch... we find the money to be able to do that whole stretch of road.”

James Lobzun is a Ward 2 resident and says he’s concerned with some of the things taking place around the Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare campus.

“There’s some things that weren’t discussed with anybody, and they just went and did it, including moving the bus route there... the bus station to that property. And we have a problem with a lot of the staff speeding up and down our streets because they’re late for work and we want speed bumps put in but they can’t do it because it’s a bus route.”

Fathers says he heard from many residents, and wants to address the different concerns raised.

“Traffic calming, alleys, parking, bus and transit issues, again... you hear them across the city, they just look a little different in every ward, and that’s what the residents were bringing forward. A lot of those little things that matter, let’s just keep tackling those.”

Fathers has been a well-known community member in Windsor and has had conversations surrounding city building, housing affordability, and equity in Windsor-Essex prior to being elected.

Costante resigned earlier this year to head the Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation. He served as Ward 2 councillor since 2018.