Wednesday, July 16, 2025
The City of Windsor celebrated its 133rd birthday with a ribbon-cutting for the brand-new year-round event space at City Hall Square.
City Council approved the conceptual design for the new City Hall Square Plaza on May 29, 2023, which represents the first phase of the Civic Esplanade project, bringing activation and renewal to the City Hall civic area. The goal of the project was to create an inviting, flexible, multi-use and context-sensitive outdoor space that balances the needs of City Hall staff and users, civic neighbours on the square, and members of the broader community. Design of the project was undertaken by MJMA Ltd., and Oscar Construction Company Ltd. undertook construction.
This project represents an approximately $15 million investment in infrastructure assets and amenities, while also supporting the City’s continued investments in inclusive and accessible cultural programming. The project is part of the City’s approved $2.24 billion 10-year capital budget to sustain the city’s continued sharp growth trajectory. This includes $312.7 million in capital investments for 2025 alone.
“We are Building Windsor’s Future through a continued focus on investment, growth, and sustainability while working to Strengthen the Core to revitalize the city’s downtown,” said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens. “The Windsor Civic Esplanade is one of the city’s greatest assets of public space in the heart of the community. It supports a wide variety of social, recreational, and cultural activities, in addition to providing an important point of access to City Hall. The new ice rink replaces the former rink at Charles Clark Square, while the year-round design opens countless opportunities for engagement and programming — including the Live at the Square music series. Like the Legacy Beacon at the waterfront, this project is about more than infrastructure — it’s about creating lasting amenities, assets, and public spaces where we can showcase Windsor’s talent, celebrate its stories, and shape its future.”
Of the full project costs, more than $6.7 million is being provided through the Government of Canada’s Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF).
In Ontario, The CCBF is administrated to 443 municipalities by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). It allows local communities to make strategic investments in essential infrastructure, including recreational facilities. The flexibility of the Fund allows local governments the ability to prioritize investment of the fund across 18 different project categories.
Windsor’s Civic Esplanade project invests across several key eligible categories including capacity building, resilience, culture, tourism, sport, and recreation. In addition to the Civic Esplanade work, current City projects receiving CCBF funding include road rehabilitation work along University Avenue, and the reimagining of Adie Knox Herman Recreation Complex.
The overall plan for the Civic Esplanade renewal aligns with the Windsor Works strategy for economic development, and with the Strengthen the Core: Downtown Windsor Revitalization Plan’s goals of place-making and creating a vibrant district to attract new residents, visitors, businesses, and investments to the city core.
“The revitalization of City Hall Square is a great example of how federal investments through the Canada Community-Building Fund are helping communities like Windsor grow and thrive. This new space will bring people together, support local culture, and strengthen the city’s vibrant downtown. Congratulations to everyone involved in making this vision a reality,” said Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure.
Featured image: (City of Windsor)
