A statue depicting a turning point in Windsor's history now graces an entrance to the city's oldest neighbourhood.
Hundreds of people, many of them students from nearby General Brock Public School, gathered at the roundabout on Sandwich Street and Riverside Drive West on Friday morning to formally dedicate the Brock-Tecumseh sculpture. The statue had been in the works for over a year. It is positioned to greet pedestrians and drivers who enter Sandwich Towne from the university area.
The statue was the brainchild of community activist and former General Brock School principal John Muir, who died two years ago. His son, Allan, made the trip from Texas to help with the unveiling. The younger Muir told reporters after the unveiling that he kept getting regular updates on the progress of the statue, and that he knows how much his father meant to the neighbourhood.
"A lot of people are talking about him today, but really it's so many people," said Muir. "I'm thrilled that so many of them are here today. This is a tremendous addition to the neighbourhood and to the city."
Ward 2 Councillor John Elliott, whose district includes Olde Sandwich Towne, said the statue is another step toward making the neighbourhood a stop for visitors.
"It's a gateway," said Elliott. "It's a legacy project that will put Sandwich Towne on the map as a historical destination for tourists and everybody else who comes. This is where we live, this is where we work. Our kids play here. We're proud of our community."
The statue was designed by Mark Williams, and it shows Major General Isaac Brock, using a scope to survey the American shore. Shawnee chief Tecumseh is on horseback, watching a British artillery position that is bombing the fort at Detroit during the War of 1812.
