The sight of a new waterfront feature will greet visitors to Olde Sandwich Towne in Windsor.
Representatives from the Windsor Port Authority, the federal government, the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA), and two Indigenous bands gathered at the foot of Mill Street on Wednesday morning to dedicate the new Bezhigoyaak Cultural Pier, the latest in a series of community benefits from the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
Bezhigoyaak means "waters are becoming one". The Cultural Pier was built as a tribute to the Indigenous peoples who first occupied the area and reflects how the water remains a vital component.
Port Windsor Harbourmaster Peter Berry said the new feature is an enhancement of a riverfront park that was first created in Olde Sandwich Towne less than a decade ago.
After receiving input concerning how the space should honour Indigenous peoples, Berry said he was then approached by the WDBA, with the idea moving forward following the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The Gordie Howe [International Bridge] came forward with Community Benefit money, and helped us get to where we are," said Berry, who added that Atlas Tube donated the steel used in the structure.
The pier is a C-shaped structure partially suspended above the Detroit River shoreline and supported by pylons driven into the bedrock. The design reflects First Nations culture, according to Berry.
"They enter from one direction to hunt and fish, and go out the other side, so that they're not overhunting the areas where they've just been," said Berry.
It provides panoramic views of the river, the Ambassador and Gordie Howe bridges, and the Detroit skyline. The entrance to the pier has landscaping and bollard lighting, which will light the feature at night.
In the near future, visitors will be able to scan QR codes placed near the pier, so they can learn about the Indigenous history of the area.
