Planning Committee Approves Story Ideas For Sandwich Town Arch
A decision on the history that will greet pedestrians when they walk through an arch in Sandwich Town is one step closer to being finalized.
This time last year city council green-lit $300,000 for the Sandwich Gateway Arch project. Bronze plaques will adorn the limestone pillars of the pedestrian gateway on both sides and will contain 12 historical stories.
Photo courtesy of City of Windsor
A call was put out for ideas this year that gathered 25 possible stories and Windsor's Planning and Heritage Committee approved the final list Tuesday night.
City Planner Adam Coates and his team narrowed those stories down in the hopes of getting them posted as soon as possible.
"Fabrication of the arch is wrapping up, so that will be erected fairly soon. I don't think the plaques will be put up, probably not until next year once everything gets vetted and they get cast," he says. "Hopefully there will be a ceremony that coincides with that."
Coates says there was no shortage of ideas from the public and the final choices reflect a little bit of everything from the areas rich history.
"They're kind of broken up into different groups including sites, events that have happened, as well as heritage or important people that have lived in the area through the years," added Coates.
The Tecumseh and Brock monument, that's construction unearthed some history of its own, will make it on to the plaque.
Mackenzie Hall, which was built in 1856 and housed the County Court House until 1963 when it became the county headquarters, was also an automatic selection.
"That was one of the spots that were chosen. That one was probably pretty easy since its aa prominent piece of architecture and cultural history in Sandwich Town," says Coates.
He says all 12-stories will be vetted for accuracy and professionally edited after the proposal gets final approval from council.
The arch will be located on Sandwich St. between Paterson and McKee Parks.
Final story selections include:
- Henry and Mary Bibb
- Quarrlls and Watkins
- Sandwich First Baptist Church
- Mackenzie Hall
- St. Johns Anglican Church
- The Duff Baby Mansion
- The McGregor-Cowan House
- The Dominion House Tavern
- The Mineral Springs
- The Detroit River
- The McKee Treaty and Huron Reserve
- The Origins of the Sandwich Town name.