PHOTOS: Windsor Unveils New Riverfront Cafe And Restored Streetcar No. 351, Dedicates Park To Former Mayor Hurst

Owen Wolter

Thursday April 24th, 2025, 2:17pm

There’s a new cafe and museum on Windsor’s riverfront.

Mayor Drew Dilkens, members of City Council, and special guests gathered at 780 Riverside Drive West to mark the launch of Windsor’s latest waterfront feature. The event also kicked off a four-day celebration, running April 24th to 27th, that includes daily streetcar tours, live music, food and beverage concessions, and family entertainment.

“I am quite impressed with how the Legacy Beacon and Streetcar No. 351 have taken shape at Windsor’s waterfront,” said Mayor Drew Dilkens. “The riverfront is our best natural feature, and this level of investment in activating new spaces, attracting residents and visitors, and creating a real destination point is going to have positive impacts across the community.”

Former Mayor Mike Hurst cuts the ribbon

Streetcar No. 351, a 1918 Cincinnati Car Company model, was once part of Windsor’s electric streetcar network — the Sandwich, Windsor & Amherstburg Railway Company — and the first of its kind in Canada. After the system ceased operations in 1939, many of the vehicles were sold and repurposed. No. 351 was rediscovered decades later in Belle River, repurposed as a cottage. It was salvaged by local businessmen George Sofos and Van Niforos, who later donated the car to the city.

The streetcar underwent an extensive restoration by RM Auto Restoration, funded through public and private support. A permanent exhibit, developed in collaboration with Museum Windsor and designer Chris Renaud from HCA Mindbox, now tells its story.

“I am so proud to be part of this special event to showcase Streetcar No. 351, and to have played a part in writing its next chapter,” said Bernie Drouillard, the local railway historian who rediscovered the car nearly 20 years ago. “Streetcar No. 351 is the only remaining car of the SW&A cars that ran here. I’m so thankful that people will get the opportunity to see this and to be part of this.”

The Legacy Beacon is the third of five riverfront beacons envisioned in Windsor’s Central Riverfront Implementation Plan, approved in 2000. The site features a 10,000-square-foot patio, food and beverage including licensed drinks, and sweeping views of the Detroit River. It stands adjacent to a historic railway tunnel and station tower.

The City of Windsor also used the occasion to acknowledge former mayor Michael D. Hurst’s contributions to the riverfront by officially naming the site in his honour. Hurst, who served from 1992 to 2003, was widely credited with transforming Windsor’s industrial waterfront into accessible green space. Under his leadership, nearly 5 kilometres of uninterrupted parkland were developed between the Ambassador Bridge and Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd.

“My time in the mayor’s chair at the City of Windsor was, in part, dedicated to realizing the incredible potential of our community’s precious waterfront lands,” said Hurst. “I know that countless families, residents and visitors to Windsor will create lasting memories at this exciting new site along the shores of the Detroit River.”

The $10.3 million project forms part of Windsor’s $186.2 million capital investment in parks and recreation. Mayor Dilkens says it aligns with the “Strengthen the Core” downtown revitalization strategy and the broader Windsor Works economic development plan.

The unveiling also marked the launch of the 2025 Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island Visitor Guide, which features Streetcar No. 351 on the cover.

“As always, Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island is committed to standing out in the competitive tourism industry, working to attract visitors from across Canada and around the globe to experience all that our region has to offer,” said Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island. “We’re excited to be launching our guide during the grand opening of the Legacy Beacon on Windsor’s waterfront.”

Events continue through Sunday, offering tours, music, crafts, and family programming as Windsorites and visitors alike explore the newest stop on the riverfront.