This view of Ouellette Avenue, taken in September, 1971, is looking north east towards the intersection of Ouellette and University. The old Place Theatre is visible on the right hand side.
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A pic back from the day when Windsor had a thriving and real downtown, rather than the pathetic wasteland that it is now!
Barney I agree with you 100% look how uncluttered the sidewalks are no huge flower beds and planters just nice clear WIDE!! sidewalks to walk on
Although by 1971 we were already in the West this photo brings back great memories. Downtown was vibrant with great stores, restaurants and businesses. We passed through Downtown daily for years on the way to and from U of W. I would miss the old Downtown .....
I agree with the huge flower beds with no flowers (get with it Windsor). They are a huge cement monstrosity that are so ugly!
What I like are the awnings...gee here's an idea. Bring them back! Who wants to shop when it's raining or snowing heavily? Plus we need more on-street parking. Imagine being able to pull closer to your store of choice rather than park somewhere and walk? Because one thing is Windsor is people don't like to walk.
I destest the way Ouellette is now with these curb cutouts I guess this is city councils answer to modern day streetscape.......LOL Eddie Francis says the downtown is vibrant he wouldn't know vibrant if it bit him on his ass
I noticed no trees!! it looks better without them they don't take proper care of them now
What's amazing about this photo is that the lights are on in the businesses at night. Go down there now and what businesses are left, are all closed and dark.
I moved to Windsor in 1971. The downtown was amazing.........a wonderful mix of businesses, a lot of the older architecture - well-maintained. Many stores had really beautiful window-dressing, which would change frequently. Lots of people, very busy - "vibrant" really is the word to describe how it was. Things started changing in the 1980's, although it still was a pretty interesting place - by the 1990's it was done and that was that! I went to the passport office 2 years ago, and I think that was the last time I went there!
I cannot imagine what the city could do that would ever bring back the downtown. There seem to have been so many attempts, many of them should have worked.
the malls are what killed the downtown core and lack of parking I remember long ago just like in the photo everyone had neon signs on the front of their business I think I heard the city outlawed it don't know why you would be hard pressed to see a store front decorated for Christmas anymore
Sleeping in 'till 11 then closing shop by 5-6 isn't a great way to run a retail outfit either, especially these days. Can't just blame it on parking or municipal policies alone.