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By Gord Henderson

The sense of relief I used to feel on returning to Windsor from crime-ridden Detroit has been replaced by envy and frustration, and maybe a little fear, over how far we’ve fallen behind a resurgent Motor City.

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Some area residents know Detroit like the back of their hands. They patronize its bars, restaurants and big-league sports and entertainment attractions.

Others, including me, rarely indulge. It’s there and we could go, but we’re creatures of habit and age and tend to stick close to home and a comfortable routine.

This week I accepted a long-standing offer from Larry Horwitz, head of Windsor’s downtown business association, former mayoral candidate and serious Big D fan, to show me how far removed Detroit is from the popular perception of a dying city.

What an eye-popper. The dismal Detroit that hosted the 2006 Super Bowl is just a dim memory. Even the Detroit of four years ago, the city of scandals and fiscal debacles, has been swept into the dustbin.