Jonathon Liedtke – ourWindsor.ca – Jan. 28, 2013
It is cold in Windsor Ontario.
It’s easy to get caught up in the drudgery of winter and all the negativity associated with it, but it’s also equally important to be sure to get out and enjoy the weather when it is here.
For these reasons, OurWindsor wanted to compile a list of some of the best places to take in a winter’s day to enjoy the scenery.
Jackson Park: Located at the corner of Tecumseh Rd. E and Ouellette Ave, Jackson Park spans across Ouellette Ave and is divided into two distinct sections. Containing numerous war memorials – WWII, the Korean War, and the famine genocide 1932-1933 in Soviet Ukraine – Jackson Park is home to a magnificent sunken garden and a reported 10,000 plants. In 2005, an original Avro Lancaster bomber from WWII was removed from the park after 40 years due to exposure of the elements and replacing it are weather-resistant fiberglass models of a Hawker Hurricane and a Supermarine Spitfire fighter.
Optimist Memorial Park: With more than 50 acres of parkland, Optimist Memorial Park is situated on Ypres Blvd. in South Walkerville. Originally named the Senator Kennedy Park, Optimist Memorial boasts a wide variety of trees including, but not limited to: oak trees, soft maple, white ash, walnut, red cedar, spruce, pine, basswood, wild cherry, witch hazel, thorn apple, elm, hickory, silver maple, and wild crab apple.
Willistead Park: Home to Art in the Park during the summer, Willistead Park boasts Willistead Manor, and Windsor’s only persimmon, a tree native to the southern United States. The park also features rare Shumard oak, several Kentucky coffee trees, London Plane, Chestnut, European Elm and Tree of Heaven. An official heritage property in the city, Willistead Park also features the Paul Martin Gardens, which have been built in the style of a traditional English garden.
The Riverfront: Windsor’s riverfront makes many other cities – Detroit, Michigan, Toledo, Ohio, Toronto, Ontario, New York City, New York, and San Francisco, California – incredibly envious of a dedicated waterfront trail that spans over 5km. The uninterrupted riverfront path boasts numerous parks and the Odette sculpture garden. Whether you enjoy Dieppe Gardens or one of the parks near the Ambassador Bridge, the riverfront is a marvel during the winter.
City Hall Square: While 350 City Hall Square is home to City Hall and municipal administration, the surrounding parks are a gem in the city’s core. As Windsor is the “City of Roses”, City Hall Square boasts rose gardens during the summer, and during the winter, the adjacent Charles Clarke Square becomes a free-of-charge ice-skating rink.
Best places in Windsor to enjoy winter (ourwindsor.ca)
Jonathon Liedtke is the Features & Opinion Editor for the University of Windsor Lance Campus/Community Newspaper and a reporter for ourWindsor.ca. As a founding member and current Co-Chair of the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee, he is committed to representing, connecting, engaging with and advocating for local youth. He is also a member of Windsor’s “Punk with Horns” band The Nefidovs, and as such, is committed to enhancing and sustaining the arts community.
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