Awww c’mon… Another postcard post!
Sorry, for the lack of variety in the posts lately, I’ve found myself with less and less free time of late, so the post that require less work are the ones coming out lately… Soon enough though, spring is in the air, and the camera will soon be out on the prowl, and lots of new subject matter will come along with the spring (at least I hope so)…
Enough of that, on to the postcard! 😉
So yes, another postcard, but this is one I had never seen before… A view taken from the south west corner of Pitt & Ouellette looking north. In the top right is the former British-American Hotel, who’s foundation is still visible today, also on the east side of Ouellette, but on the south side of Riverside Drive is the Victor Daniel Horsburgh designed Bank of Commerce that was demolished in the 1970’s for the CIBC tower.
The Ferry is at the dock, waiting for the next run to Detroit and note the streetcar loading zone lines painted on the road.
Had to believe this is the same block, 90 years later…
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Windsor looked better 90 years ago then today !!!!!!!! Wow another great photo Andrew !! Thank you !!!!!!!
Hmmm...people on the street, a busy downtown, buildings that were interesting giving a nicer vibe to the area.
Ever notice that our population today is 5 times bigger than it was then (if not more) and yet our downtown is smaller; getting smaller each year.
Most cities downtown's get denser as they get older but not Windsor! Only Windsorite's heads seem to get denser as we get older.
i dig the 2 traffic cops in the middle of the street
Man - we're BORING in the 20th century!!!!
Here we are waxing nostalgic for the ‘good old days’. Ninety years ago, the river was comparable to an open sewer. Coal burning factories, ships and trains pumped volumes of black smoke into the air. And good luck trying to enjoy the waterfront which was dominated by railyards and buildings. Yes, we have lost some good things in this city over the years but we have had positive gains too. As far as the downtown losing its retail to malls, plazas and big box stores, Windsor is hardly unique, unfortunately. I would love to see downtown as it was when I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s but unless they outlaw ‘the mall’, that will always be an uphill battle.
That view was largely intact until the early seventies.
Would Smith's Department Store have been where Cigar and Tobacco sign is or was it built later?
Yes Matt just about there and a bit to the south.
Duncan you are correct inthat environmentally we are somewhat better off. However there are just as many cities that have thriving downtowns along with malls. If Stratford can do it why can't we?
One of the biggest things missing in our downtown is it's identity. What is it? What are we trying to convey? Where is the ambiance, the aesthetic? Sadly many of our downtown buildings are owned by a few who are waiting for "someone else" to kick start the area. These owners have a large majority of these buildings and haven't done squat with them in years (sounds familiar to Detroit doesn't it? And yet we have the same results which isn't surprising).
Can you believe some people are trying to outlaw outdoor patios and cafes! Can't we stop the madness and all get on the same damn page?
ME--I`d be very curious to see what Stratford(downtown and otherwise) would be like if Shakespeare left town...Gone would be the blue hair cash laden set and along with them the great restaurants, the trendy shops etc..
It`d be a VERY ordinary town......
Actually Bob C. having known people who live there yes during tourist season the downtown is busy. But even afterward the residents flock to their downtown and to the mall. The season is only half of the year.
What makes it special is the specialy shops (not chain stores like the malls), unique restaurants (that don't look run down)that each offer something different, loads of on street parking (angled in some cases where needed), easy access to their waterfront (whereas Windsor's waterfront is disconnected by the fast moving cars on Riverside Dr. and the poor design of no sidewalks in front of the St. Clair Centre for the Arts and the Hilton/Radisson).
I also notice that there are not huge swaths of only bars in certain sections. In Windsor try finding retail. It is too spread out to make an impact. One must walk all over downtown to find a few stores.
I would like to see "incubator" type of businesses sprouting up in some of the larger buildings. A place where small business with limited resources could open up in the same building as others but without the high cost of huge inventories and rent. If these large floor plans could be subdivided up to allow small square footage shops to open I think this could be a catalyst for change. But frist many of these bulidings must be cleaned, refurbished. Can't we bring back large awnings on the front of buildings?