BY JEFF BOLICHOWSKI, THE WINDSOR STAR MAY 10, 2010
 
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Kelly Ouellette isn't just talking about connecting with others for a better Windsor. She's putting it into practice.

Ouellette, who operates Slice of Style gift shop on Parent Avenue, was one of about 40 people sharing ideas to re-envision Windsor Saturday at an event called ChangeCamp. Her vision is one where local businesses can share store space.

It's one she's already made a reality: She's invited Windsor Eats to set up shop at Slice of Style, she said.

"There's a core group that do nothing but co-operate," she said of downtown businesses. But she added that core group is pretty small.

Mita Williams, one of ChangeCamp's four co-ordinators, said plenty of others, many from the small business, arts and non-profit communities, were making connections Saturday.

The gathering, which Williams called an "unconference," saw participants split into groups to talk over a wide variety of topics. Anyone could move freely from group to group. Discussion topics were updated online at www.wechangecamp.ca, with some chipping in through Twitter.

Similar gatherings, Williams said, have taken place in cities like Ottawa and Halifax, but she said they often focused on local politics. Her aim was more general.

"There's already a critical mass of people in Windsor who are willing to try new ways of collaborating online to improve our civic way of life," she said.

Online communication is simple, she said.

"There's no reason we can't use that sort of tool to help Windsor."

The goal, she said, was "strengthening the community by coming together and talking about strengthening the community."

Williams said the conversation started around 9 a.m. at Windsor Public Library and lasted for hours, with the issue of public transit coming up often.

She also witnessed many guests exchanging business cards.

Adam Vasey's idea was to exchange ideas even more. The poverty reduction co-ordinator for Pathway to Potential touted the concept of a social purchasing portal, where businesses would partner with and promote each other while buying local.

"It's a really simple concept but sort of formalizes some of what is probably already common anyway," he said.

"The infrastructure is probably already there."

Yvonne Pilon and a group of companions, meanwhile, hoped to spread the word about Windsor's hidden gems.

Pilon's hidden gems? Local wineries, for one. She said she likes "the fact that they're all within a very close proximity. It's all local."

Dairy Freeze ice cream was another of the 26-year-old Windsorite's "gems," along with Peche Island. "I felt like I was on vacation," she said of a past visit to the island in the Detroit River.

Sherice Sudds, who came to Windsor from the Toronto area, named the city's riverfront as her gem of choice.

"I would say it beats the beaches of Toronto any day," she said.

Mark Bradley singled out the Windsor Public Library's genealogy centre as his hidden gem.

Pilon called ChangeCamp a start in re-envisioning the city.

"This room represents a room of Windsor ambassadors," she said.

"You have to get people together to have a voice and get an action plan."