From the Windsor Daily Star December 31, 1947
Park & Goyeau, does anyone remember, was this building still there into the late 80’s early 90’s? It’s where the Tim Horton’s is today. I seem to recall there being something there prior to the Tim Horton’s into the early 1990’s. Anyone with a better memory? I didn’t pay enough attention or take enough photos back then. 🙂
I think that this building was gone before the Tunnel Barbq the garage is quite large with three bays and office space on the corner, also it looks like cars parked on the west side in a parking lot. That was a vacant lot for many years before Hortons.
I agree with Richard.
I thought there was a gas station there some time ago? Perhaps this building even turned into the gas station. But it was vacant for a long while.
TBQ’s building has been thre for a very long time.
It was a gas station – I think it was a Gulf station nearer the end. It was there at least until the early 1980’s.
Back in the late 1960’s I was a cab driver in Windsor with Checker Cab and Veteran Cab. I used to frequent the cab stand outside the King Edward Hotel at Ouellette & Park Street. On the corner of park and (I think Armoury Street) was the TBQ Tunnel BBQ and then a small parking lot and then the BA station at Goyeau. The BA station was owned by Donnelli and his wife. He spent a lot of his time in Florida as he was an elderly man. He always dressed sharply in a white shirt and tie and usually white pants. He told me once that the first thing Americans see when they leave the tunnel is his station and that it was best to put your best foot forward to visitors. His station was kept immaculate. His head mechanic for years was Murray Tofflemire who later in the 1970’s moved his repair business to a closed service station near Sandwich and Mill street (Fina I think). Murray was a big hulk of a man and built up a good business. Being with Checker, Donnelli always called Checker when someone went into his garage either for car service or to get a cab. Checker Cab moved out of Park & Goyeau in the middle 1960’s when Checker Industrial Tire & Rubber moved to Strabane & Wyandotte st east. Checker opened up at the corner of Campbell Ave and University Ave (320 Campbell?) phone 253-3551 back then. I started with Checker as a company driver and then became an owner/operator leaving Windsor in 1980.
Great to see the old titles of The British American Oil Co. Limited. BA became Gulf Oil Canada Limited on January 1, 1969.
Excellent post Tom, thanks… The hotel at Ouellette and Park was called the Prince Edward Hotel, just to update this… that downtown area of Windsor was always hustle and bustle back in the early days, wasn’t it… again, pre- the 1950’s suburb developments of South Windsor (Sandwich West) and similar.
i just read the advertisement from the cab company i remember checker cab with their green cars i had an uncle who drove one back in the 50’s -60’s i don’t recall if veteran cab was around back then today i think 3/4’s of Vet’s drivers don’t know where their going half the time these daysit’s nice to see a company take pride in the service it provided back then
The gas station was there well into the 80s. The single reason I remember it best is the press coverage when it got held up. Was a brazen crime considering its proximity to WPD HQ. Far as I recall, they got away too.
My dad drove for Checker in the mid to late 50s and it was at Campbell and University already.
For years, the northwest corner of Park and Goyeau was home to a Petro Canada gas station. Back in the 1980’s it was known as the busiest gas station in the city, if not the province. That was back in the days when gas was going for 22 cents a litre in Windsor and all the Americans flocked to Windsor to buy gas.
In 1985, Petro-Canada acquired the gas stations of Gulf Oil Canada. This location had therefore been a service station for British American, Gulf and Petro-Canada before becoming a donut shop.
Good posting- lots of new info- Tom could you please contact me- I have some more questions regarding Checker Cab for a new book I am producing- my email is chris@walkerville.com
thx
Thank you everyone for your rememberances of Park and Goyeau. The gas station and garage were downstairs. Checker Cab’s office, including the switchboard were upstairs in that building.
The parking lot belonged to the Mechanic family also. The garage predates the TBQ. I am Dave Mechanic’s oldest daughter.During WW2 the cabs were driven by women in uniform. Checker moved it’s office to University Ave and Campbell years later. I am thrilled you all have memories of this very original and wonderful piece of Windsor history. Thank you for sharing them.
Tom Polarbear, I never knew that about Murray Tofflemire….he still has a very thriving business at the corner of hwy 42 and Renaud Line out in the county, my nephew works for him in advertising…..
i worked there for emario from 1969 to 1972 . many memories of the whole crew. murray,richard,silvio,orville,laurie and the bookkeeper was a mr. ferguson. emario`s daughter and husband lived in the upstairs apartment.i was the yank with the harley davidson. much simpler times.