City Of Windsor To Revitalize Gateway Park In West Windsor

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Gateway Public Park in the spring (windsoriteDOTca News file photo)

The City of Windsor will take over management of Gateway Park, a privately-owned park above Windsor’s train tunnel in West Windsor.

Mayor Drew Dilkens was joined today by Ward 2 Councillor Fabio Costante and Ward 3 Councillor Rino Bortolin to announce a 99-year licence to operate and maintain the park.

City officails say the licence agreement took effect November 9th and authorizes the City to immediately take an active role in managing the naturalized park, which is located above the CP tunnel that runs parallel to Cameron Avenue, bordering the City’s west side.

They say maintenance work by Parks staff is expected to begin this month to clean up the site.

The Detroit River Tunnel Company retains full ownership of the land and will pay the City $300,000 to assist with maintenance costs. This payment includes a one-time transfer of $100,000, followed by an annual disbursement of $20,000 for the next 10 years. The rail company will also pay $40,000 for easement rights to the City’s property located about 40 feet underground. Council has committed $700,000 toward the park’s revitalization as part of its $1.6-billion pledge over the next 10 years to fund capital improvements that raise the quality of life for residents.

The City is also planning the following new features for the park:

• A fully accessible asphalt multi-use trail and access ramps
• Park signage, trailhead signage, wayfinding signage and GPS location signage
• Modern park benches, and garbage and recycling containers
• Park lights

Gateway Park begins at Riverside Drive and runs nearly 1 kilometre south to Wyandotte Street. It is between 50 to 70 metres wide and bordered on each side by a thick overgrowth of diverse plants and trees. A row of Japanese cherry blossoms, donated in 2002 by the Consulate-General of Japan’s Sakura Project as a symbol of international friendship, lines a narrow foot trail in the centre of the park.

The park’s full revitalization is expected to be completed by fall of 2022, which will mark the 20th anniversary of the Sakura Project.