It’s that time again! Once more, we spin the Penn Elcom globe and find out first-hand what it’s like to live and work in Canada’s southernmost city of Windsor, Ontario.
With a rich and diverse cultural history shaping its development, visitors may well find themselves asking taxi drivers for many destinations with French or Native Indian names.
Windsor’s roots can be traced back to the mid 1700s when French colonists began to settle along the Detroit River, now Windsor’s biggest natural landmark. Remarkably, the area’s history describes much turbulence - great fires, rebellions, revolutions and wars all wove their stories into the tapestry of Windsor’s past.
With America just a short ferry ride across the river, Windsor can be proud of its part in the emancipation of slaves as a vital exit in the legendary ‘Underground Railroad’. It’s estimated around 30,000 men and women found their freedom and settled in the Ontario region. Later, this historic route would become operative once again, however this time smuggling rum during Prohibition in America.
Modern Windsor, officially nicknamed the City of Roses, is commonly referred to as the Automotive Capital of Canada thanks to its strong manufacturing framework. Straddling the Detroit river and a portion of freshwater Lake St. Clair, it’s now become an attractive city full of character for around 220,000 residents to call home.
Dotted on the map around our Penn offices are gardens, lakes and campgrounds while downtown is just a short drive away. We asked the general manager Dale Gadoury to tell us a little bit about life from his perspective:
Q: What do you love about your city that makes it unique?
”Many parks, biking, hiking, and walking trails. We have many small cities bordering us that highlight sports, history, etc. From the Underground Railroad to Hiram Walker distillery, heritage is a big part of our city as well. It is only a four-hour drive one way to Toronto, Ontario and only a four hour drive in the other direction to Ohio, USA. This makes us ideally situated for convenient shipping to our customers.”
Q: Can you give us a picture that shows off its charm?
”Here are a few of our riverfronts showing off Canada and the United States. Along our riverfront, we also have a large sculpture garden with designs from the local arts community.”
Q: Tell us one food dish a visitor must try before they leave.
”Windsor Pizza. It is the one thing most people who move away will pick up whenever they return. Some even take it half-cooked back on the plane with them.”
Q: Tell us about your favourite secret location (like a hidden gem)
“The outskirts of our city highlight many wineries, with trolley, bike and group tours. The open-air and landscape make it a great day out, even if you don’t enjoy wine.”
