Happy Friday once again everyone! Today’s photo is dated July 11, 1930 and features a good look along Windsor’s waterfront.
I’m not sure what event this was used to illustrate, but with early “photoshop” techniques, they’ve circled the old train station, and also highlighted with the arrow, the location of the City Hall. It would have been a stroll though a densely packed urban area, a much different Windsor than one would see today if they took the same route…
Interesting to note as it was still 6 months away from opening, the Windsor-Detroit tunnel plaza is still far from complete…
One of the parts of the photo that grabbed my eye, was this stretch of Pitt St. West. and the two 3 story buildings side by side. Those two buildings were both fine looking structures, and today are parking lots.
This photo truly shows what downtown Windsor once was, and how much has been lost. In 80 years, we’ve gone from a dense urban area, to an area devoid of a cohesive feel, and devoid of the life that many vibrant urban areas have.
Hopefully the election in a few weeks puts in some people with foresight and initiative into office….
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Also, don’t forget the pre-sale for the 2011 IM.com calendar
Click the cover above ^^^ or on the icon on the sidebar —->; to go to the store to purchase your copy via paypal visa/master card etc… No account nessecary.
If you would rather pay by cash/cheque, email me for instructions on how to pay by an alternate method.
Pre-sale orders close in 3 weeks.
Don’t miss out on this chance for a great and unique gift for someone who’s a history fan or as an early Christmas present for yourself!
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Andrew - yup the bigger building was indeed the Windsor Rec. A real "family fun place" to be sure. Looking further east in the vicinity of the old Windsor Market, I remember going there with my dad in the fifties. The whole area was in an uproar, teeming with life. The block directly west of the market was a warren of narrow laneways between 19th century buildings, full of squawking chickens and hollering fruit vendors, humming with the general hubub of the crowd. It wasn't just the market itself but a whole district dedicated to the buying and selling of food and the elaborate social ballet that goes with it - more like an opera, actually. But maybe I over romanticize. I would like to think it a travesty that all that was destroyed but nobody's to blame really. We just got in our cars and moved out to the paved-over countryside and abandoned the old core. A real community effort. Most people prefer the clean and sanitary and brightly lit Costco, where they don't have to talk to anybody or be offended by weird smells. Personally, I never minded the occasional rat that would scurry between those nineteenth century buildings.
Judging from the density of buildings downtown in this view, parking must have been a real problem. I guess that issue has been fully resolved!! It is interesting to see the number of buildings north of Sandwich Street on the river's edge. Also interesting is the number of hotels and rooming houses along the riverfront blended with industry and commerce.
I like that Windsors original town hall is squeezing in the picture there too on Riverside in front of the market building.
The parking bit is hogwash! Coming back from Europe it took about 10 minutes to find parking and still people shopped around.
We are lazy people period! In fact the distance to parking in downtown is closer than parking at the mall and walking to your store of choice. I know, I had measured the distance some time ago and couldn't believe the results.
Kenndey was already built at the time (1929).
I hope council starts giong after people who demo bulidings for a glorified parking lot. Better yet, go after the surface lot owners now to clean up their property. We shouldn't have any parking lots that are gravel or dirt (do you hear me Larry).
i think the old cn station was tore down in 1953