Windsor, Detroit poised for renewal

I’ve watched as the last remnants of the once proud General Motors transmission plant that supported thousands of jobs were being hauled away while spotting a small plant protection office still standing on the land, once home to a thriving GM trim plant.

I find myself reflecting on the devastation caused by their closures, related to lost jobs, other businesses closing, plus the pain of those having to move out west or east to find work.

So many manufacturers scrabbled to survive, local businesses felt the pain while home prices plunged and unemployment became a double-digit reminder that the city of Windsor was in big trouble.

The investment in the Hon. Herb Gray Parkway and a new proposed bridge, however, seemed to be not only an awakening, but an energizer for this area.

Tool and die shops through innovation found work from areas other than the auto industry while Windsor began to sell itself as an area for those retiring to take up roots.

Yes, there are many things that still bear the scars of this city’s past plight, like empty factories and stores, but the last few years have seen a remarkable awakening.

As a retired GM trim plant employee, I hope to see in my lifetime, land that once was the home of the GM trim and transmission plants, experience a major investment by an entrepreneur, to build from the rubble of these plants, beautiful additions to Windsor’s future, while also hoping, when the Gordie Howe International Bridge is completed, Windsor and Detroit will experience a renaissance greater than anyone had ever imagined. Peter J. Middlemore Sr., Windsor