Book Review Windsor Then and Now By Matt St. Amand Photos by Ian Virtue

WINDSOR THEN AND NOW

The changing face of Windsor is documented over the past 150 years

It sometimes takes a book like Windsor: Then and Now—among the latest offerings published by Biblioasis—to fully appreciate the growth of Windsor, to be reminded that our city is in continuous topographical flux, that it is something akin to an architectural Etch A Sketch. Like the river flowing beside it, no one steps into the same Windsor twice, from one day to the next.

Documented and compiled by architectural historian, Andrew Foot, and photographed by landscape and commercial photographer, Ian Virtue, Windsor: Then and Now is based upon a simple, yet very affecting, premise: early photographs of Windsor are displayed alongside recent photos of the same areas, often from the same vantage points.

For residents of a certain age, particularly second or third generation Windsorites, there are place names that come in conversation, time and again, of the venerable places that are now gone or irretrievably altered: St. Mary’s Academy, Kresge department store, the Volcano restaurant, and most recently, Huron Church Road.

Windsor: Then and Now looks at 43 locations around the city, documenting the architectural evolution of Windsor. The time travel begins in Old Sandwich Town, established in 1797. The first photograph in the book is from 1912 showing the Essex County Courthouse, which residents know, today, as Mackenzie Hall. Comparing the new, digital image with the century-old photograph, it’s amazing how little the exterior of the building has changed. One can only guess at the ghosts the building contains.

The same is true of the second set of images: a postcard from 1910 looking southward down Bedford Street (now Sandwich Street) at the Bedford Street Post Office. The building remains, though its use has changed over time. It ceased operations as a post office in 2013 and three years later opened as a shortlived café. Today, it is used as office space.

The historical background offered throughout the book is illuminating, often fascinating, sometimes infuriating. In the book’s foreword, Ian Foot writes: “Working on this book has allowed me to really understand how much we have lost. Not only physical brick and mortar structures that have been torn down, Windsor faces a loss of identity.”

The demolition that might fall most squarely into this category is that of St. Mary’s Academy, established in 1856 by the Order of the of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary as a private Catholic girls’ school. In the 1920s, the school was relocated from Park Street and Ouellette Avenue to South Windsor. The “new” building was constructed in the Gothic style and opened its doors in 1929. It’s demolition in 1977 can be compared to the destruction of Penn Station in New York City, which took place in the 1960s to clear the way for Madison Square Garden and Pennsylvania Plaza. Both demolitions are discussed and lamented to this day.

Although each reader will decide for themselves which “then and now” combinations are the most interesting, this reviewer was struck by the iterations of Windsor City Hall, the complete re-imagining of the old Norwich block at Ouellette Avenue and Riverside Drive, and the Devonshire Race Track, which operated at the current location of the Devonshire Mall. Some parts of the city just seem to have “always been there,” and the Devonshire Mall is certainly that in the minds of many. Built in 1970, “the Mall”—as it’s known among Windsorites—has been like a microcosm of the city itself, undergoing perpetual change. The most recent and jarring

Windsor City Hall 1930

of these being the dissolution of Sears department store.

Andrew Foot was probably constrained in his eff orts by the historical photographs available. It was only after the extensive upheaval of Huron Church Road in preparation for the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, that this writer wished there were a dedicated department somewhere in the City whose mission it was the document the city through video and photography, street by street. Thank goodness for the photographers of decades past who thought to photograph mundane scenes, such as “1000 Drouillard Road” in the 1920s or Walker Road at Ypres one day in 1950, or “Ouellette Avenue October 1950.”

One theme exuded powerfully in the pages of Windsor: Then and Now, is that change occurred in Windsor fairly even-handedly. Few corners of the city have gone untouched. One of these few is the Ambassador Bridge. Although it has been the site of almost perpetual maintenance work, a photograph of the bridge in recent years is virtually identical to a postcard from 1930. The location of Hiram Walker & Sons Limited, is another rare example of this.

If one set of images can be said to capture the change and evolution, not only of Windsor, but of its neighbour, Detroit, it’s the fi nal set in the book: a photograph of Windsor’s skyline, facing Detroit, taken in 1954. It is contrasted on the following page by a recent photograph taken from the same vantage point. As a great writer or ancient philosopher might remark: only the river is eternal. The ways in which both cities have changed over the decades is startling.

Windsor: Then and Now succeeds in its mission. Ian Virtue’s eff orts to line up contemporary photographs of the city to match the perspective of the historical images wordlessly tells the story. Andrew Foot’s historical analysis and background for the images deepens the experience, identifying old structures, pointing out similarities or aspects of buildings from the past that remain. An example of this is the Maple Leaf Hotel on Howard Avenue, photographed in 1960. It has since been converted into an apartment, though its confi guration of entry points remains unchanged.

It’s left to the reader to decide if the changes to Windsor’s cityscape were progress or destruction, if the “new” replacing the “old” were genuine upgrades or simply erasing something that can never be replaced. Windsor: Then and Now is published by Biblioasis and available at biblioasisbookshop.com D

St. Mary's Academy 1930

Devonshire Race Track (1940)

Windsor City Hall

The Imperial Bank of Canada 1934

The Drive magazine in partnership with Libro Credit Union is challenging Grade 12 students to write an essay focused on their day-to-day lives. Once a school is selected, the top five articles chosen by the teacher are further reviewed by our editorial team and the winner receives a $500 RESP from Libro Credit Union, along with publication of the essay in our issue. Congratulations to Kennedy Hardy for being our February winner! We are proud of all the participants and will continue to support our community through continued literacy and a path to higher education.

Financing My Future

Kennedy Hardy

We live in an ever-changing and evolving economy that requires preparation for future endeavors. In seven years, I see myself as a marketing specialist, aspiring to be a marketing director. Financially, I imagine I will struggle with student loans, car payments, planning for retirement, budgeting, saving, and beginning my investment portfolio. I feel my financial institution can help me with post-secondary expenses, investment advice, and setting myself up to better handle the financial burdens of adulthood.

Although post-secondary education will qualify me for certain job positions, it also brings numerous, long-lasting expenses. At 25 years old, my student loans will simply pile upon other living expenses. I will need a down payment for a house, auto loans for the vehicle I’ll need to commute to work, and other common living expenses. I am aware that, “student debt can be overwhelming. Yet there are some actions that you can take to decrease it and pay it off quicker” (Konradsen, “Financial Advisors Can Help with Student Financial Debt”). To avoid unwanted interest charges, student loans should be the first debt repaid; however, a financial institution can help me organize my debt, set priorities, and decide on payment options.

Along with lowering debt, I want to be building an investment account. For my money to grow with the rate of inflation, I will need to keep it (however small it may be) in a safe investment account with potential for growth. Using a financial institution “helps to improve decision making because it follows a systematic approach to calculate all the risks and rewards” (“Financial Institution”). A financial institution can collect necessary information about account options, provide statical data on growth, and help me determine my risk level. Without the advice of a professional, I would be leaving valuable savings in the hands of fate.

Adulthood is famous for its struggles, both personally and financially. To minimize uncertainty, I need to plan for future expenses. Much like preparing for post-secondary when I’m 17, I will need to plan for retirement at 25. I need to start saving when I start working to utilize the amazing power of being young. (“When to start saving for retirement”). When I am paying off student debt, a mortgage, and daily expenses, finding capital to save will be difficult. Retirement savings cannot be postponed later than seven years from now and a financial institution can help find a plan that works for me.

At the age of 25, I hope to be a marketing specialist with a plan for my financial future. I will need help navigating student loans, developing an investment portfolio, and saving for retirement. I believe that a financial institution has the resources to succeed in the current economy and to prepare me for the future. D

Works Cited “Financial Institution | Types, Features, Functions of Financial Institution.” Educba, 2020, Financial Institution | Types, Features, Functions of Financial Institution (educba.com). Accessed 9 January 2022. Konradsen, Salinas. “Financial Advisors Can Help with Student Financial Debt.” The Journey of Preston 952, 26 Sept. 2020, Financial Advisors Can Help with Student Financial Debt – The Journey of Preston 952 (wordpress.com). Accessed 9 January 2022. “When to start saving for retirement.” Vanguard, 2022, When to start saving for retirement | Vanguard. Accessed 9 January 2022.

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Today, in Ontario, there are over 1,500 people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. This is their only treatment option, and every 3 days someone will die because they did not get their transplant in time. But you can help. When you register your consent for organ and tissue donation, you let those waiting know that you would help them if you could. One donor can save up to 8 lives through organ donation and enhance the lives of up to 75 more through the gift of tissue. Len Martindale passed away six years ago and as an organ donor Len’s generous donation of his vital organs saved the lives of seven individuals. Martindale Window and Doors encourages you to visit www.beadonor.ca.