Great Western Park

Great Western Park anchors the eastern end of Windsor's famous riverfront park system. It is located along the Detroit River between Aylmer Avenue and Lincoln Road. In addition to the riverfront views and pathways, visitors to Great Western Park will enjoy Bert Weeks Fountain and the Clifford and Joan Hatch Wildflower Garden. Great Western Park gets its name from its days as a railroad connecting link. "The main line of 'The Great Western,' from Niagara Falls through Hamilton and London to Windsor, was opened in 1854. The company extended its line from Hamilton to Toronto in 1855, from Komoka to Sarnia in 1858, and from Glencoe to Fort Erie (the 'Loop Line') in 1873. 'The Great Western' was an important connecting link for through traffic between railways in Michigan and New York states. This necessitated conversion from the original 167 cm gauge to the U.S. standard of 143 cm. The railway was one of the earliest to use sleeping and dining cars. In 1882 'The Great Western' merged with 'The Grand Trunk Railway Company' under the latter's name.” – Archaeological and Historic Sites Board of Ontario. The Bert Weeks Memorial Gardens are named in honour of the former mayor who worked tirelessly to protect the riverfront from development. During his 40 years of public service, including eight years as mayor, Bert Weeks championed the development of nine new riverfront parks, including