Proposed Waterfront Stage [UPDATED]

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• yeah i get ya there. and sorry about the "first to scream"....but usually when the city cuts corners being cheap, you are the first....of many mind you, including myself.( and prehaps...i'm just not happy about being at work right now..so i appologize) if that idea was in the original plans, i think alot of us would think they were being cheap, and second rate when we're trying to become an international destination. i suppose you could still use it, but maybe just pull it out when the need arises. can it be taken apart? if it can be taken apart with relative ease then that's cool, but keeping it as a permenent structure......i just don't think it would work. if were going to spend tax payer dollars, i'd rather see the bandshell in jackson park which is completly useless, disassembled and brought to the river.....as unrealistic as that may be.
  i hate to sound negitive here, but detroit is a city that can pull that kind of stuff off. regardless of the D's economy, they will forever be Motown and Detroit rock city. now, if we can get some commuter ferries kickin again, you could make incredibly huge detroit/windsor concert series where after a band plays at HP, you get on the boat to windsor for another concert, then head back for another in the D. get the ferry co. involved in it and you've got something going.

  alright, now i'm rambling and not really making sense.

  if i don't get back on here tonight, have a nice christmas David,

• Aaron, the restoration was for cosmetic purposes. The jacketing had developed many holes and was coming apart. Consequently, the metal jacketing was completely removed and replaced with new material. The boiler was inspected but was not altered. Although this locomotive is in relatively good condition in consideration of its age, to perform a complete restoration with the intention of returning it to service would be cost prohibitive. Such a restoration would require a structure to house it (with cranes, etc.), lots of specialized tooling (much of which no longer exists) and some very knowledgeable skilled tradesmen (not many left who have worked on such machines). The locomotive would have to be completely disassembled and rebuilt and this would cost millions to do.
  However, it is worthwhile to retain and maintain this locomotive as a testament to Windsor's past. A replica depot or station would be nice but it is not likely such a structure would be permitted on this site (which is the approximate location of the original station). Nonetheless, it would be worthwhile to erect some informational plaques with pictures along the riverfront to inform the public of the associated history.
  On another note, the city could erect signs with pictures in some of the downtown parking lots stating "Here once stood....". Perhaps then someone will take notice and realize what has been lost and a better effort will be made to retain some of what remains. In this regard, Andrew does an excellent job raising the level of knowledge and informing readers of historical and architectural significances.

• clarification:

  the old onion is past a point of feasible repair...the idea of a second smaller stage isn't dead yet.

  the design is fashioned in a manner that it will be dificult to strip away materials (cheapen it) without altering physical structure.

  the created public terrace is equally as important to this solution as the theater itself.

  we worked with multiple user groups from rockers to classicists..from theater to individuals and feel comfortable to have acheived an environment that satisfies and works well as a mulituse center....the majority of the public input was possitive and constructive.

  great to see the city pulling together on a project for ourselves, coming from a long history of missed opportunities.

  kudos

• JBM i routinly watch city council meetings most monday nites a fw months back city council was talking about the locomotive parked down at the river,i don't recall all the details of the conversation but percy hatfield made the comment of building a caboose like structure to tack onto the rear of tender to act as a info booth for visitors to the corejust what we need a fake looking plywood structure i think the city would have done better to try and locate a old steam era caboose but then thats city council for you always looking for the cheap way out

• Gary, I had not heard about that proposal but it is rather absurd. It hope it never happens.

• MOM i agree with you it would be nice to see colors used like they do down south in florida pastels to brighton up the area, what really drives me nuts is we have the Peace fountain in Reaume park,then theres the Peace beacon above the Bistro at the foot of Ouellette then the newest addition the Peace clock at Ouellette &Wyandotte whats up with this word i think the city's wearing itout where's the originality innaming somethoing it makes me wonder what their going name the new Bridge once it's built the windsor greenway multi use down river crossing or something goofy like that lol

• JBM ya i was watching a council meeting one nite and it was Percy Hatfield that brought up the idea ofbuilding this tacky playwood caboose and have it in line with the rear of the tender i'm sure you could get the railroad to donate an old caboose to the cause because of the railroad history in this area