Save the Date: Legacy Beacon Grand Opening and the Unveiling of Streetcar No. 351

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The City of Windsor is gearing up to host the grand opening of the Legacy Beacon, along with the unveiling of Streetcar No. 351, as part of a weekend of programming and activities at the new riverfront site. 

Programming will include the following: 

Legacy Beacon Grand Opening and Streetcar No. 351 Unveiling

Thursday, April 24, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. 
780 Riverside Drive West (between Caron Avenue and Janette Avenue)

The formal ceremony will include the unveiling of Streetcar No. 351, remarks from Mayor Dilkens and guests, a special announcement in connection with the site, and guided tours of the streetcar and corresponding onsite historical exhibition.

Legacy Beacon Opening Weekend Community Celebration

Thursday, April 24, to Sunday, April 27, 2025
Legacy Beacon, 780 Riverside Drive West

  • 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily: Museum Windsor staff on site for informative tours of Streetcar No. 351 and the historical exhibition, souvenirs and crafts, and more
  • 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily: Concession vendor and patio open for business
  • 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily: Self-guided tours of Streetcar No. 351, live music from local entertainers, and more
  • 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: Family entertainment concerts for all ages

Everyone is invited to this free community celebration in honour of the grand opening of the Legacy Beacon, and the unveiling of Streetcar No. 351! 

For full details of the event, visit the Streetcar No. 351 page at CityWindsor.ca.

About Windsor’s Historic Streetcar No. 351

U.S. and Canadian cities built between 1880 and 1945 were streetcar cities. The first streetcar company in Windsor, the Sandwich and Windsor Passenger Railway, was essentially a horse-drawn service along what is now University Avenue, starting in 1874. That evolved into the SW&A (Sandwich, Windsor and Amherstburg Railway), which in 1891 began electric service, though the first electric streetcar in Canada was operated by the Windsor Electric Railway in 1886. SW&A would go on to become Transit Windsor in the 1970s. Electric streetcars ran on Tecumseh Road, Wyandotte Street, Ouellette Avenue, Parent Avenue, College Avenue, Lincoln Road, Seminole Street, and Erie Street, as well as the Sandwich line that ran down University Avenue. 

Streetcar No. 351 is an important artifact in the story of Windsor’s transportation history. Built in 1918 by the Cincinnati Car Company, the streetcar is 50 feet long and weighs just over 24,000 pounds. It is believed that cars 351 to 354 were purchased by SW&A as used vehicles around 1926 to 1927 from Public Service of New Jersey. The last streetcars stopped running in Windsor on May 7, 1939.

“Windsor was home to Canada’s first electric streetcar system back in 1886. This streetcar is a relic from Windsor’s past — one of those unique artifacts that is important because it is truly authentic to the city of Windsor’s history,” says Mayor Drew Dilkens. “When I began conversations with (the late) George Sofos and Van Niforos, who were in possession of the streetcar, and later City Council and administration, I had no clear idea of what we were going to do, but I knew we had to do something. This streetcar is an important piece of Windsor’s history. I didn’t want the last of three remaining cars that operated here to be sold and moved outside of Windsor. It was important to find a new life for the streetcar, and to write a new chapter for it in our community. I’m excited for folks to see what we’ve created at the Legacy Beacon with this incredible new riverfront gathering space showcasing Streetcar No. 351.” 

City Council, project partners and the public saw the value in the vision that developed for Streetcar No. 351. In 2017, following a public open house and city-wide survey, Council approved a recommendation that, pending restoration, Streetcar No. 351 would become the focal point for one of five beacons planned for the riverfront as envisioned in the Windsor Central Riverfront Implementation Plan (CRIP) approved in 2000. 

The $10.3 million project is part of the City’s 10-year capital plan, which invests more than $186.2 million in City parks and recreation across the community. This project is highlighted in the Strengthen the Core: Downtown Windsor Revitalization Plan’s fifth action item — Vibrant District — which seeks to create vibrancy by attracting and engaging residents and visitors by improving municipal venues, improving streetscaping, and stimulating activations in Windsor’s core. The project also ties in with Windsor Works – An Economic Development Strategy for the City’s Future Growth, which included recommendations to invest in waterfront infrastructure and amenities to attract and support our evolving community. Alongside the Civic Esplanade and ice rink at City Hall, the Legacy Beacon is one of many initiatives that support economic development in Windsor’s downtown core and across the city, while creating jobs, engagement opportunities, and positive spinoff impacts for businesses, the tourism and hospitality sectors.

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