Before the waterfront park system was in place, there were once buildings on the north side of Riverside Dr. Back in the early 1950s work was set in motion to clear the north side of Riverside Drive and establish a civic centre and park. Across the river in Detroit, the same thing happened with the creation of Hart Plaza, and on our side we got Dieppe Park.
From May, 1954, here’s a look at few of the buildings that fell to create Dieppe Park:
To the left is the one story Windsor Paper Company, and to the right is the four story Windsor Tent & Awning building.
The Pelton Construction Co. building.
At Riverside & Ferry the former Betburl Hotel, which was once the home of the Evening Record newspaper, before the Star moved down Ferry Street a few blocks.
All four buildings were demolished by September, 1954.