Related Page
Ganatchio Trail Project
An Important Page In Our History - Ganatchio Trail
Our beloved Ganatchio Trail, beloved, because back in 1977, a small new Rotary Club, The Rotary Club of Windsor-St.Clair, took on a challenge that would change the landscape of our City and Essex County forever. It was a project that we fell in love with.
In those early days of our club's history we used to have our monthly board meetings in our homes. It was at one of these meetings, held at Bill O'Kane's home that the board decided our club needed a Community Service Project that would make a difference. We were looking for something that we could hang our name on, something that people in the community could identify with our Rotary Club, something that would grow with time, and something that we could grow with. With that mandate in hand, our Club's Community Service committee contacted the City of Windsor- Parks and Recreation Dept. and through Bill Bailey, Windsor's Arenas Manager, we were put in touch with Harry Brumpton, Commissioner of Parks and Recreation. We explained our mandate, and asked if he had any suggestions.
With that, Harry immediately jumped from his chair, leaped over several desks in his office, dove into his car, and like a speeding bullet landed in my office within fifteen minutes, to present his plan. In most cases people would be calling him, asking for Parks and Recreation to do something for them. He was not used to someone calling and asking how they could do something for the City.
Harry had a dream. That dream was to take a narrow slice of land that followed alongside Riverside Dr. and stretched from Little River on the West, to the Eastern boundary of Windsor abutting Tecumseh on the East, and transform it into a linear parkway. This parkway would be both active and passive. It would have a walking, jogging and bike path, there would be a beach at one point for both relaxing and swimming, a change house with bathroom facilities, areas set aside for picnics, others for just sitting, and looking out over the lake. Areas where many different species of plant life, bushes, and a wide variety of trees could be planted and nurtured. What a Dream!!
At that particular time I had just returned from a family vacation which had taken the Rivard family to Washington D.C. During one day of that vacation we visited Monticello, George Washington's homestead on the banks of the Potomac River. On the drive to and from Monticello we drove through a wooded area that had a black top trail winding in and out of the woods. We were surprised at how many people were walking, jogging and bicycling along this trail. Margaret and I both, commented on how busy it was, and what a wonderful idea to encourage residents of the area to get out, enjoy the nature around them, and get some exercise. After listening to Harry and his dream, it seemed to me that this would be a match made in Heaven.The Rotary Club of Windsor St. Clair and The City of Windsor working together to build our own Trail along the shores of our own recreational jewel, Lake St Clair.
As I previously stated, the particular piece of land that Harry had in mind followed along Riverside Drive from Little River on the West to the city limit at The Town of Tecumseh on the East. The land was still intact as one piece, because it was originally a right of way for the old S.W.& A. (Sandwich, Windsor & Amherstburg) railway system, that at one time ran a public electric trolley from Amherstburg, through Windsor to the Town of Tecumseh. A drainage ditch followed alongside the tracks, and after the trolley was abandoned by the S.W.& A., the former town of Riverside used the ditch as a garbage landfill during the 1950's. Because of the landfill, the City was prohibited from selling the land for at least 25 years after the landfill was closed. The expiration date was fast approaching by this time, and there were developers waiting in the wings who wanted to purchase parts of the land for private development.
The key to making the dream become a reality was to convince City Council and The Government of Ontario to rezone the land as "Official Parkland", so that it could be held intact as a single piece of land for park development. The key to convincing both Governments to rezone the land was "Money". Harry felt that with a commitment from our Rotary Club for $50,000.00, he could approach Wintario, The Parks Assistance Act of Ontario, and The City Of Windsor for matching funds, and with a total of $200.000.00 in hand, we could convince both the City and the Province to rezone this land as Parkland to be kept intact for future park development.
How do you convince 28 new, young, very busy Rotarians, who were working Bingos each month at the Tivoli Bingo Hall, making approx. $ 700.00 each bingo, that they should support such a huge commitment to The City of Windsor for $ 50,000.00, for a park that was, at that time, only a dream. I think at the time we had about $ 9,000.00 in the bank. The first step was to see if our Community Service committee could get as excited as I was about this project. We held our next committee meeting at the Rivard home family room. We brought in all the usual favourites, Potato Chips, Cashew peanuts, Cheezies, Cheddar cheese and crackers, pop, and maybe even a beer or two. Harry had his Art Department draw up a very long sketch of the proposed Park and we hung it across the family room wall. After Harry explained all the details, it didn't take much encouraging for our committee to unanimously adopt this project. Since it was such a huge commitment for such a small club, the Board felt we should approach the Club, as a whole, for a final approval. Presented with all the facts, our Rotary Club saw the vision, and understood what a wonderful opportunity that was being placed before them, thus voted 100% to support the project. It was a very proud moment in our Club's history.
Over the next five years this Club tried every fundraising project we could think of to meet our commitment to the City, as well as all the usual Rotary commitments. In addition to working many more Bingos, longer term members, many of whom still belong, remember several Winter-Fests which were held on the old Rendevous Tavern property, worked many Freedom Festival Monte Carlo's, ran a fish and chip booth at the Tecumseh Corn Festival for two years, started a T.V. Auction which this Rotary club continues to run to this day. There is nothing like a great project to encourage everyone to get out and support our fundraising efforts. Every one of you who has ever worked a Rotary fundraiser should take great pride in what has been accomplished.
The trail was given the name "Ganatchio Trail" by the Parks and Recreation Dept. The word "Ganatchio" is the name that was given to the body of water that we know today as Lake St. Clair, by the first Native Americans that frequented this area.
In the spring of 1983, Phase One was completed, and Grand Opening Ceremonies were held at the pavilion at Sand Point Beach. At this point the Trail stretched 3 kilometers along Riverside Dr. from Little River to Tecumseh. It offered Windsorites the opportunity to walk, jog, in-line roller blade, and cycle a winding asphalt pathway, and being so close to home, it encourages regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle. The Trail was sculptured using fill from the Detroit River when the City Marina was being built. There are numerous exercise stations located along the Trail, as well as many open green spaces and rest areas. A survey taken at that time estimated 300 users per hour in the evenings on this section of the Trail. At Sandpoint beach there is 1500 feet of waterfront property from which Windsorites can enjoy a beautiful sandy beach, attracting dedicated sun worshippers and offering supervised swimming during the hot summer months. There is also a well-equipped assortment of playground equipment for children. One can launch a canoe, kayak, or windsurf, play beach volleyball, have a picnic, or just relax on a park bench and enjoy the beautiful view of Lake St. Clair.
In spring of 1984 a Totem-Pole standing in front of the pavilion at Sand Point Beach was erected and dedicated as a tribute to the history of the Native Americans who frequented this area. This Totem, carved by a Nootkon Indian Sculptor "Wikinanish", contains within its design, working from the bottom up, a beaver, a porcupine, a turtle, another beaver, a bear, an inverted deer in the grasp of a wolf, a snake and a hawk. These images represent local Cree, Ojibway, Mohawk, Cayuga, Seneca, Oneida, and other tribes who frequented this area in years past primarily for hunting. The huge 50 foot red cedar log, donated to our Rotary club by Western Forest Products, was shipped across the country from British Columbia to Windsor courtesy of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and was carved over a period of twenty two weeks in the hallway of St. Vincent de Paul School. This completed the design concept of the Ganatcio Park Facilities Building.
Over the next four years, Phase Two of the Trail was opened, linking Little River to Lauzon Rd., the following year Phase Three was completed taking the Trail from Lauzon Rd. Eastward to Isabelle and Wyandotte, now expanding the Trail to 5.3 kilometers. With each new Phase came a financial commitment from our Club, but each time we did not hesitate, we were so proud of OUR project.
In 1991, the trail took a turn South when The Little River Corridor was opened to the public. This is a 3.3 kilometer extension to the Trail, beginning just South of Sandpoint Beach and running South through the 200 acre Little River Corridor to Tecumseh Rd., linking the Trail to the Forest Glade sub-division. This section features Windsor's first Carolinian Arboretum, a naturalized arboretum with many varieties of distinctive wild flowers, trees, and plants, which thrive in Windsor's mild climate. It also includes a pond, a toboggan hill, and offers a unique walking, jogging, in-line skating, and cycling path that follows the natural course of Little River. A trip on this extension provides a picturesque route and brings one into close contact with nature.
In 2003 this club dedicated the Rotary Gazebo in memory of Nijola Giedriunas, as the newest addition to the trail at "Shanfield Shores". Money for this phase was raised by the Club and "In Memoriam" donations that were requested by Nijola before her death.
To date, the Rotary Club of Windsor St. Clair has contributed over $325,000.00 to the Ganatchio Trail development and its extensions. This project has spanned nearly three decades, and is still a work in progress. Hardy Wheeler has just recently informed me that with the rapid expansion of housing in the East end of Windsor, both McHugh and Wyandotte St. will be extended and cross over the North-South Little River Corridor, and that plans are being developed with Parks and Recreation that will take the Trail under both streets to preserve its integrity. Several schools in the area have adopted the Little River Corridor area as their own and conduct an annual clean up of Little River as a Community Project. Other areas of the City and other communities in the County have initiated their own forms of the trail. Imitation is the highest form of compliment.
This club has matured and grown with the Trail, and the Trail has matured and grown with us. Many have fallen in love with this Community Service project, and the people of The City of Windsor have also fallen in love with the Trail. Hardy Wheeler recently said, The Ganatchio Trail is "The Heart and Soul" of The Rotary Club of Windsor St.Clair.
Prepared by - Dick Rivard (Honourary Rotarian) Ganatchio Trail Committee - 1977