Today we head back to Brighton Beach for a return visit to what once was.
As each year has passed, the number of homes has shrunk, and the condition of the roads worsened. The end between Sandwich St. and the River has really become worse since the residences along Water St. have gone. Now unless it is summer time and dry, or unless you drive a large SUV/Pick-up many of the roads have become pools of standing water and mud, and largely impassible.
Here is another home along Broadway that was demolished in the last few years.
Urban Prairie at its finest. A fire hydrant protects the trees and weeds.
The Dainty Rice Factory. A long time Brighton Beach industry.
Healy, Page & Chappus. The names of the original developers of the Brighton Beach Sub-division.
A driveway leads into a vacant lot. Now home to great volumes of illegal dumping.
Yes, there is actually a beach. Brighton Beach is the only remaining section of natural shoreline along the Detroit River on the Canadian Side. It is actually quite a tranquil setting…
…except for the belching behemoth across the river.
More urban prairie. Street signs mark roads with no structures.
On my last visit this overgrown house was still standing and occupied.
This one, one of the newest houses in the sub-division, was hit by the Brighton Beach Arsonist late in the Summer of 2006.
Gone.
Gone.
Still standing.
For an area that is rapidly disappearing, there was an odd amount of roadwork being done a few summers ago. New crossing? That’s my guess.
Hey Andrew, I was wondering since your pretty familiar with this area,whatever happened to the house that stood at the corner of Healy & Reed ? I believe it was on the Southwest corner and i think the address was 445 Healy. The house was on Healy and the garage was on Reed.It was a friend of mine’s house awile back until he was bought out. And do you have any old pictures of West End Auto that used to be on Reed near the turn in the road ? West End Auto was across the road to the south from the house you have in picture # 13.
The last photo really kills me. Is that what the city is doing with the money the government gave them ? Fix up roads that very rarely see traffic anymore while the important roads have small cars and such protruding from the potholes.
i remember going to a house on healy long ago. to rose city something or other. forget the guys name who ran a electronics business from his basement. would go there with my friend to buy scanners or electronic parts. wonder if his place was one of the houses in your post here. last time i was there it was… 1986 maybe. could be 1987. i remember buying this thing called a tv genie. neat little device.
I know the guy your talking about. Rose City Distributors is the company ,his name is Ed ( Bopper ) and he is located on Maple street in Lasalle now.
I think that construction was for a water main or sewer– when i went for a drive in Brighton Beach last year during a Windsor visit, that’s what came to mind. Not just road constructions — though, it wouldn’t be such a surprise if they were.
Wow, I didn’t realize that Windsor was so ghetto in some places. You’re gonna have to give me a tour one of these days.
Anytime Ed. Just let me know when.
These pictures are a sad reminder that you can’t go home. This was a quite secluded area to live, Like living in the county but so close to the city.
Hi Andrew, I also lived in this area for quite a few years, and I can tell you it was like the little house on the prairie. It was living out in the country but yet so close to the city, I lived on Broadway the third house from Sandwich Street. I went to the school just over the highway which is now called Erie Wildlife, back then the school was called St.Thomas Aquinus School. A few years later it was called D.F.Brian School, the school had 4 class rooms with 2 grades in each. No pre-school back then, we use to play in the hallway of the school when it rained outside or those miserable winter days. I also rememberd we played floor hockey in the hallway of the school. There was a catholic church in front of the highway also called St.Thomas Aquinus Church. Oh by the way we used to play street hockey in the Dainty Rice parking lot back then.
Thanks for the memories Vince. Do you know when the church was demolished?
The brick garage in the picture with the address 465 is actually still there.
The brick garage in the picture with address 465 is actually still there.
Hi Andrew
I also lived in that area. I was born and raised on Wright St. north of Sandwich and also attended St.Thomas Aquinas School. The church and old school was condemed and finally tore down about 1960 or61. I’m now 61 and still miss the old neighbourhood. Does anyone remember when there were houses right on the beach? Sure would love to see some photos of when the beach was inhabited. Your comments brought back a lot of memories.
No one ever seems to talk about the cultural activity which presently exists in Brighton Beach. I believe that there are some strange characters acting in some strange activities. Anyone have a word on what goes on there in a sort of sub-cultural reference?
Ryan – you probly see these people if you’re at the dog park, and i understand your curiosity. my work butts up against this area and the only “sub-culture” i’ve ever noticed back there involves an endless string of vehicles, at all hours of the day and night, heading to the dead end at healey and linsell, parking on the side of the road, and two males meeting in the bushes. never seen any strange rituals if that’s what you mean. just guy on guy action. that’s it as far as i know. it’s not the lifestyle they’ve choosen that’s wrong, it’s just where some do it, and the desperation of some who you don’t want to run into. here’s an example: i was walking along the fence of the plant property in the summer and i encountered a guy who was paceing me along healey. he had on a rather long shirt and very skinny legs. i assumed he had no shorts on. when i’d stop he’d stop. finally, i asked him if i could help him and he said “maybe”. it’s then that i found i was right about the pants and he started doing things to himself i don’t want to mention. this is no longer any place you want to explore or even go for a walk thru. it’s dangerous to body and mind.
what i know for sure is just stay out of that neighbourhood aside from the park. that whole ‘hood is crown land now and the port authority is handing out anywhere from $1500 to 3000 fines for anyone caught back there. generally there is no “just get outta here” from them. it’s “come here so i can give you this massive ticket”
not only that, but the P.A. officer told me he has approched and arrested people back there on a regular basis who are convicted murderers, people with hand guns, knives, and all that other great stuff.
stay out, please, for you’re own safety.
Another one bites the dust.
The big brick home in picture #12 just burnt to the ground about 15 minutes ago behind my plant. Total inferno.
Andrew, if I remember….I’ll take a picture for you when I get off work tomorrow morning if you want it. Went I looked at it from the plant, all I could see was the edge of the wall and outlines of second floor window frames….thru the fire. It looked like someone had simply placed the home inside of a kiln (sp?)
Shout out to WFD though, they had the poor old lady “out” (not an inferno) in probably 10-15 minutes.
If there was an owner #1…hopfully they made it out. And #2….I hope they already got their cash from the government to buy out their land for the bridge or they might just be up *hit creek.
Aaron, sure grab a picture and send it this way…
Don Laforge, in that area, perhaps on Wright St. was there a huge rough-stone house there known as the ‘Wright’ house? Someone showed us a pic, but didn’t know where it was….they thought it was called the Wright House/home. Thanks!
Andrew the photo of the newer home that you say was torched belonged to the parents of a guy i worked with at the city of windsor their last name was Ouellette nice to see a semi rural area of the city go the way of the dodo
i meant to say sorry to see a semi rural area of the city disappear