Facing a trek to the grocery store, Sandwich residents say lack of access is a problem

Sandwich is one of the most underserved

Anneke Smit, associate professor in the faculty of law and director of the Centre for Cities at University of Windsor, said Sandwich is one of the most underserved neighbourhoods in the city when it comes to access to food. 

Access to a grocery store and basic essential services is part of “inclusive and sustainable city building,”  she said.

“The research shows that having core amenities in the neighborhood and within a walkable distance makes a big difference for a neighborhood,” she said.

“It makes a difference to individuals’ health because they now have access to those amenities. It makes it more affordable generally because it removes the cost of transportation.”

Smit said Sandwich is a neighborhood that is more socioeconomically challenged than many in the city, and the added lack of a grocery store and access to some basic services is when that “sort of crisis level becomes apparent.”

In 2013, University of Windsor did a mapping study identifying fewer than one in five people in Windsor live within walking distance of a grocery store. The study found two food deserts in Windsor: in Sandwich Towne and near the university, and in Ford City.

More than a decade later, Smit said the situation remains practically unchanged.

With the bridge opening up, Smit said as evident through research, if things are done correctly for the neighborhood, tourism follows effortlessly.

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