An early postcard view of Dieppe Park in its very early days. The Detroit Skyline looks odd without the towering presence of the RenCen, which wasn’t built until 1977.
From the Deparment of Parks & Recreation’s History of Windsor Parks:
Dieppe Gardens
Commonly known as: Dieppe, Dieppe Gardens
Former/other names: Civic Centre Park, Gateway Park, Riverside Park, Waterfront Park
Location: north side of Riverside Drive West, just below Ouellette Avenue
Property acquired: 1959
Acreage: 7.11
Official designation: City-Wide / Regional parkJust one visit to Dieppe Gardens is usually enough to convince area tourists that Windsor is The City of Roses. The history of the site, however, is perhaps even more colourful than the brilliant annuals that flourish there each spring.
The first major debate over the development of Windsor’s waterfront occurred in 1854, the same year that the Great Western Railway became firmly established in the Village. Although the Railway quickly acquired a great deal of waterfront property, James Dougall, who owned the Dieppe site, flatly refused to entertain offers for his valuable property. The local government of the day was eager to cultivate a harmonious relationship with the Railway, and thus began pressuring Dougall to relinquish the site. At one crucial point, the government seriously considered seizing Dougall’s property and turning it over to the Great Western Railway. By that time, the issue had grown into one of symbolic importance to the general public, most of whom vehemently supported Dougall’s fundamental right to retain his property. Realizing that a rankled public will often vent
its anger at the ballot box, the Village government quickly backed away from the issue.In the years that followed, the property was used as a docking site by the Detroit-Windsor Ferry Company, and several cottages, retail stores, hotels and other businesses were established. In the late-1950s, these buildings were purchased and demolished by the City so that the site could be developed into a major riverfront park. In 1975, the city purchased the British American Hotel for $500,000, the last obstacle to the expansion of Dieppe Gardens. Reserving a portion of the wall and commemorating the site with a plaque recognized the building’s rich history.
Press Norton, a prominent local hotel owner, inspired the initial development project. In 1957, Norton discussed the site’s development with Mayor Arthur Reaume and a local architect named Beckett was commissioned $10,000 to devise a proposal. The design featured such eccentricities as pools and polar bear dens.
When council considered the plan, some members took exception. Alderman Ernie Atkinson reportedly turned to William Gravett, Commissioner of Parks and Recreation (1954-1960), and asked if he could possibly develop a public park without polar bears. Gravett’s reply was affirmative and he was subsequently handed the project.
Although major work on the site continued until 1971, Dieppe Gardens was officially dedicated in 1959. The park is named after Dieppe, France, where the Essex Scottish Regiment of Windsor, along with other units of the 2nd Canadian Division, made an assault landing on August 19, 1942. The 5000-man, which included British and American armed service personnel, suffered casualties of 3363 soldiers through killed, wounded, and prisoners of war. This park has been named in honour of all the men who served in this engagement, and to the memory of men from this area who served in Canada’s armed forces in World War II.
For the most part, scholarly opinion is united in the belief that the 1942 attack at Dieppe was instrumental in the Allied Forces’ ultimate victory. In his book Dieppe, Canadian writer Pierre Burton pays high tribute to the role played by the Essex Scottish Regiment. A Silver Cross monument was placed at Dieppe Gardens by mothers whose sons were killed in the Second World
War.Dieppe Gardens is home to many other historically significant monuments. In 1967, the Ontario State Board of the Knights of Columbus presented the City with a Centennial year gift, a 50-ton, three-column granite statue designed by Donald Ailles and produced by the Smith Monument Company of Toronto. The statue consists of three modernistic columns, which represent the three persons of the Trinity as they look down on a troubled, war-torn world. The inscription reads “Pray for Peace”.
Dieppe Gardens has been coming alive every summer for over 30 years when the International Freedom Festival, in June and July, beckons Americans and Canadians alike to celebrate the freedom each country enjoys. The Freedom Festival fireworks display is one of the most spectacular visual salutes in North America and is viewed by thousands of people gathered at Dieppe Gardens. It is estimated that 600,000 – 800,000 people attend this single event each year. Dieppe Gardens is also a part of the “Parks Watch” programme. This programme protects parks against crime and vandalism.
Dieppe Gardens is a popular lunch-hour spot for downtown merchants and shoppers, many of whom enjoy the view of the Detroit skyline from the open-air observation deck, located on the second floor of the Cleary Guest House. Built in 1957, financing for the two-story building was willed to the City by the late A.E. Cleary, who bequeathed $20,000 for the project. The Cleary Guest House is about to be removed and replaced with a new concession at the corner of Riverside Drive and Ouellette.
During the summer months, when the park’s magnificent floral display is in full bloom, American tour buses frequently roll into Dieppe Gardens. An upcoming addition to Dieppe Gardens is a memorial to honour Windsor and Detroit Fire Fighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty. The memorial is constructed of bricks from buildings destroyed by fire.
when i used to work in the park for the city of windsor in the early 90s, i would have to dig deep to expose broken irrigation lines and there was always so much broken glass under the grass, even whole bottles buried. i wonder what used to be in that location that left so many broken bottles to be covered over with soil. the bottles and glass looked quite old. .
Mmmm…city of roses? Not so much anymore. But I think the gardens are nicer now than they ever have been. Now we need to spread it across the entire Detroit river park system.
darren, there used to be hotels there, customs houses and the ferry docks. Plus the builders of these buildings probably just buried their garbage like most did back in those days.
Putzing around my house and other older houses I have always brought up old glass or bits of porcelain.
Just wondering what the ship (boat) is running the river. I know there are some boat fanatics who have contributed to this site and would know these things. My guess is the John Sherman, only because it is listed on the Interlake Steamship Co.(Lakes Shipind Co.) website, and they are the fleet that runs the black smock stacks with the orange band, but I have no idea of their fleet in the 50’s.
Just wondering what the ship (boat) is running the river. I know there are some boat fanatics who have contributed to this site and would know these things. My guess is the John Sherman, only because it is listed on the Interlake Steamship Co.(Lakes Shiping Co.) website, and they are the fleet that runs the black smock stacks with the orange band, but I have no idea of their fleet in the 50’s.
I, for one, have never got used to the presence of the RenCen on Detroit’s riverfront. It essentially destroyed what had been a harmoniously balanced skyline, in my opinion. Too massive and isolated from the existing downtown, spatially and architecturally, although it may eventually be part of a new harmony as the city continues to evolve. A structure this huge perched on the edge of the river like a buzzard grosses me out. Should have been located away from the river, north of downtown. Note the distinctive Roman baroque tower of the Wayne County building (1902), center of the postcard, just above the vessel.
I like the polar bear idea. Someone should bring it up to Eddie. I think he’d go for it. 😉
Limited resolution makes it difficult to identify the vessel but it is definitely not the John Sherwin. Sherwin was built in 1958. The shape of the vessel in the picture, especially the fantail stern, dates it to the early part of the 20th century, probably 1910-1925, as a rough guess. The shape of the smokestack, fatter and shorter than the norm in those years, indicates that the vessel was re-powered at some point, probably with a turbine replacing the original triple expansion engine.
thanks A, and it was good shooting with you today. looking forward to the next time. i hope to do more with my new site as well. not to copy your site in any way, but try to do something more with it photography-wise.
We branded ourselves The City of Roses back when and then, decided we would rip out the roses and EF wants a new brand. Well, you can”t decide to be something and then, grow into the brand. Foolish move on someone’s part.
Dieppe Park has always been a beautiful spot. But so is our entire waterfront now. We can hold our own with any waterfront city in the world.
Thanks for the column. It’s always a pleasure to see what you are up to.
Agreed Darren, it was fun to get out.
Good luck with the site, there is a big empty spot for a Windsor Photoblog out there…
Let me know when it’s up and running.
Darren – i would think alot of the bottles would be left overs from prohibition. i feel kinda stupid cause i couldn’t read your sarcasim if it was there, or if it was a genuine question lol
hey totally off topic, but i won’t be back on tilll monday night and i don’t want to forget lol
did any of you read about the whole VIA/CN/CP ripping up a butt load of tracks and what not? is it at all possible for the city to purchase alllllllllll those km’s of well maintained rail, and stuff them in our streets? eh? eh?
am i silly for thinking we could buy up all this rail for probly a fraction of the cost of new rail, stuff in in the streets and get our light rail into gear already? or am i just silly for thinking the city would consider it? …i’m thinking the later lol
i don’t know, if i was looking to start a buisness, a permanent set of tracks, that simply arn’t going anywhere anytime soon, with eyeballs rolling by my window every 15 minutes sounds like a pretty solid place to settle down a shop to me. it’s not like a bus route that can be changed at the drop of a hat, right? then it’s bye-bye pedestrians.
back on topic – look how tiny those trees are along the river!!!
City of Roses. Blah! Have you been to Alexander Park’s Memorial Rose garden? Some memorial…the plants were dug up a few years ago and never replaced and now they’re overgrown with weeds…yet the plaque is still there.
Question: Do you know the date this picture/postcard was taken? Are there any more of these pictures/postcards of Dieppe Gardens? It would mean a lot for me to know the date as the man in the picture is my father and the Sedan Delivery vehicle parked right there was his also. Thanks.
Suzie, I don’t see any sign of Cobo Arena on the far left of the picture, so it’s probably from 1959, when the park opened. Even with the angle, I think you’d be able to see at least some part of it.
Unlike Windsorite in excile, the “Ren Cen” is a beautiful sight. I was between jobs and drove the drive every morning for a bakery. The towers would get the first golden sunlight and the river was like a mirror with no movement except when a fowl landed or took off. I’d think to myself how luckey I am to live here and wonder how many thousands would risk their lives to be free like me and see this gorgeous, peaceful sight.
To anyone that can help me with research. I had heard that my great grandmother named Dieppe Park. Her son was killed in the Dieppe Raid. My grandmother had an article from the Windsor Star back in the day. Some guy showed up one day saying he was a reporter actually took the original article she had and never came back..any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.Kim McMillan