A downtown Windsor playground built to commemorate a major sporting event is now new-and-improved and in a different spot.
The City of Windsor dedicated the playground for the new Legacy Park Wednesday, in its new location on the riverfront near the foot of Church Street, across from the Art Windsor Essex-Chimczuk Museum building. The new Legacy Park sits on the site of the former Dieppe playground and succeeds one that was just west of the spot off the foot of Caron Avenue, which the City said is near the end of its useful life.
Windsor Ward 3 Councillor Renaldo Agostino was joined by the City's Executive Director of Parks and Facilities, James Chacko.
"The Legacy Park structure is one of 125 public playgrounds in the City," said Agostino. "Investments like these build up our city and improve the quality of life for all of our residents, especially those living downtown and close to our beautiful riverfront."
The new playground, fully accessible with up-to-date equipment and safety features, will carry on a football theme, as it will remain a legacy point of interest from Super Bowl XV, played in Detroit in 2006. A number-82 jersey is included as a tribute to LaSalle native Luke Willson, a tight end who played for the Seattle Seahawks and won a Super Bowl with them after the 2013 season. He also played for the Detroit Lions, Oakland [now Las Vegas] Raiders, and Baltimore Ravens before retiring in 2020.
The City spent $400,000 on the new Legacy Park, added to the $9.4-million approved by city council in 2021 and being spent to build 32 new accessible playgrounds across Windsor.