I got an email from reader Mark F. who asked about the band shell at Jackson Park, that’s tucked behind Windsor Stadium.
You can see it in the Google Earth Map above.
I dug into the history of the band shell, while working on the Windsor Modern book.
This band shell was built in 1959, and designed by Windsor Architects Johnson & McWhinnie. It replaced an earlier band shell that was destroyed in a fire in 1957.
Today the structure sits unused, and covered in graffiti. The doors on the stage are welded shut, and the area around the stage is used as a storage yard by Parks & Recreation.
There are some interesting musical decorations flanking the sides of the stage.
The back of the building reveals several doors. For loading instruments, maybe dressing rooms or washrooms?
The building was built very close to Windsor Stadium, and I am assuming that when the west grandstand was built, it blocked the band shell, and rendered it obsolete. It’s too bad, because if there’s one thing we’re short of is outdoor musical venues… Unless you like the blacktop parking lot feel of the festival plaza…
More of our history siting neglected. This time as a storage yard. Jackson Park used to host Motown acts, I wonder who graced this stage?
Anyone out there have any memories of this place when it was in use?
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Used to live by Jackson park. When we were little kids we used to find ways into that compound all time. And we'd walk the grounds beneath the grandstands of the stadium and collect all the money and "cool stuff" people dropped. I'm sure today we'd get more than a simple "hey you kids, you don't belong here" from the parks & rec. employees though.
I used to live on Logan Ave. during the mid 60's and early 70's. I remember the feastival's and battle of the bands very well.
The battle of the bands were hosted by Rick Hamilton and Donna Gross of the Big 8 CKLW.
The band I remember winning I believe 2 years in a row was the Power and the Glory. A local band with Moe Pinard as the lead singer.
Those were great summer activities that we looked forward to each year.
The assumption that you made anout back doors are correct. Parks and Rec use one of the rooms for storage of tools and things for Jackson Park maintenance. One door is a washroom and the other door is part of the storage area used by the Windsor Cavaliers Cricket Club. There are stairs just to the right, out of view of the photo that lead to the WCC changing room.
VP
Back in the early-to-mid 80, a group of academics, businesspeople and concerned citizens formed an organization to raise money to bring a CFL franchise to Windsor. Part of the organization's fund raising strategy included bringing big name entertainers like The Beach Boys to Windsor at the Jackson Park bandstand. I don't remember much else but the dream of a CFL franchise never caught on and the plans for a new stadium to house a CFL never came to fruition.
in answer to comment 25
emmancepation festival amd firemans field day were both major events in my childhood, mid fifties to mid sixties... they were ended not because of detroit riots but because the powers that be thought jackson park should be only for looking at not actually for the general population of windsor to actually use...ignoring the fact our taxes pay for them. Don't believe me go to any of the river fests and spend the day walking and sweating on hot ashphalt staring at a band shell that must have cost less than the up keep of the garden around the bistro restaurant....
ron
Thanks Ron, I was simply going by the info. in the CBC link.
YES! My father owned the amusement arcade next to the bandshell from the 60's to late 70's. The bandshell would have concerts/festivals & the area was a lively place and a nice local beach. Since it was the 60's & there was always people smoking pot, we weren't allowed to attend the concerts much (I was born in '61). A few blocks away, they had a covered public grill area where we used to haul our things on Sunday mornings and cook breakfast. We have a lot of pictures of this street back in the day... I can't believe the bandshell is still there... or isn't it?
Barbara, any chance you'd be willing to scan-share any of those old photos?
This Bandshell is a GEM! It should be moved to Dieppe Park on the waterfront: Restored, etc.. It has great accoustics. I've always thought it could sit at the south-western-most point of Dieppe Park, facing North-east. The sound would go out to the river, plenty of lawn space, not impedeing the view from the drive. Win, win, win. It's doing nothing where it is. It's a great shell that deserves to be permanently set up downtown. Thanks.
Jackson Park was way bigger and better before the Ouellette Overpass was built, which cut the park in half. before that, the park stretched from Dougall Avenue all the way to the current eastern border. as others have commented, it was the main event venue for the city.