The Downtown Windsor BIA has partnered with community organization Red Frogs to offer support to visitors to downtown Saturday nights this September.
Red Frogs is a non-profit organization run by volunteers. It is a support network that promotes harm reduction and sexual assault prevention and offers a safe space or a safe escort to a ride home.
The organization has been operating on the University of Windsor campus since 2018. Now, they are setting up downtown as students return to the city.
Volunteers will set up a safe and inclusive space on Maiden Lane West. The "Chill Zone" will offer a space for visitors to unwind, connect with peers, seek support and if needed a safe escort to a ride home.
"We're there to keep non-emergencies from becoming emergencies. We can just be present so that if someone needed to charge their phone because they're frantic they can't find their friends, we're there for that. If they just need someone to calm down with while an altercation is happening, we're there to do that as well," said Nelly Latchman program coordinator.
The group will also offer free water and snacks to help counteract the effects of excessive alcohol consumption.
The DWBIA has budgeted $1,300- $1,600 a night to support the operation.
Red Frogs had their first night of operation on September 3. Latchman said they saw around 500 people throughout the night.
"It was received really well by the public," said Latchman. "People really loved that we were present, the whole idea is that we are a positive peer presence"
Red Frogs volunteers will be on hand from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. on September 16th and 30th.
