one fine good friday in amherstburg
After Mom finished firing up the BBQ for dinner on Good Friday, I walked around town, trusty camera in hand.
Amherstburg's Burger King, shuttered in 2004. It was the first fast-food burger chain to roll into town when it opened in the late 80s. Big disappointment, as BK was my least favourite of the majors (Harvey's was our preferred choice, until they changed the fries). My main memory of BK was during rehearsals for Grease in grade 12 - the cast had a hankering for flame-broiled food, so I volunteered to drive over. Since most of them were petite, there might have been 8-9 people crammed into my '86 Calais.
Across the road, White Woods Mall (photo from Christmas) is in its death cycle, with Wal-Mart as its rumoured replacement.
Amherstburg was one of the many towns to receive Carnegie libraries. This one, located at the SW corner of Richmond and Sandwich, dates to 1911 and was in danger of closing until the access elevator on the left was built. Not shown: a new fountain on the north side, a new parking lot to the south (formerly Chan's Garden restaurant and H&R Block).
Gardeners take note! A notice on the window of Wigle's Pro Hardware, across the street from the library. We used to joke how crammed the store was, but it's held firm to its downtown location.
A side view of General Amherst High School from North St. The centre portion is the original front of the school, opened in 1922. Dad taught on the second floor for years (206), until St. Thomas of Villanova high school used the space as on office in the late 80s/early 90s. At last check, it was part of Amherst's guidance office.
Murals on the west side of the school, along Laird Ave. The gymnasiums were opened in 1967, as Amherst burst at the seams. Students attended in shifts while new two schools were established (Sandwich and Western). To celebrate the Centennial year, murals were commissioned to depict the town's history (details here). Look for closeups this summer. Note 40 years of fading.
I walked back to Mom's along the river. Several construction projects (condos by Navy Yard Park, new approach to the Bois Blanc ferry) turned Dalhousie St into an obstacle course. Roadwork wasn't limited to downtown, as orange signs dotted the town. It may drive Mom bonkers, but it is good to see work on the town's infrastructure. Outside of the core, work was about to begin on the Big Creek bridge on Hwy 18 (sorry Harrisites, I'll never call it County Rd 20), where kids on my elementary school bus yelled racial slurs at Detroit fishermen.
Amherstburg's Burger King, shuttered in 2004. It was the first fast-food burger chain to roll into town when it opened in the late 80s. Big disappointment, as BK was my least favourite of the majors (Harvey's was our preferred choice, until they changed the fries). My main memory of BK was during rehearsals for Grease in grade 12 - the cast had a hankering for flame-broiled food, so I volunteered to drive over. Since most of them were petite, there might have been 8-9 people crammed into my '86 Calais.
Across the road, White Woods Mall (photo from Christmas) is in its death cycle, with Wal-Mart as its rumoured replacement.
Amherstburg was one of the many towns to receive Carnegie libraries. This one, located at the SW corner of Richmond and Sandwich, dates to 1911 and was in danger of closing until the access elevator on the left was built. Not shown: a new fountain on the north side, a new parking lot to the south (formerly Chan's Garden restaurant and H&R Block).
Gardeners take note! A notice on the window of Wigle's Pro Hardware, across the street from the library. We used to joke how crammed the store was, but it's held firm to its downtown location.
A side view of General Amherst High School from North St. The centre portion is the original front of the school, opened in 1922. Dad taught on the second floor for years (206), until St. Thomas of Villanova high school used the space as on office in the late 80s/early 90s. At last check, it was part of Amherst's guidance office.
Murals on the west side of the school, along Laird Ave. The gymnasiums were opened in 1967, as Amherst burst at the seams. Students attended in shifts while new two schools were established (Sandwich and Western). To celebrate the Centennial year, murals were commissioned to depict the town's history (details here). Look for closeups this summer. Note 40 years of fading.
I walked back to Mom's along the river. Several construction projects (condos by Navy Yard Park, new approach to the Bois Blanc ferry) turned Dalhousie St into an obstacle course. Roadwork wasn't limited to downtown, as orange signs dotted the town. It may drive Mom bonkers, but it is good to see work on the town's infrastructure. Outside of the core, work was about to begin on the Big Creek bridge on Hwy 18 (sorry Harrisites, I'll never call it County Rd 20), where kids on my elementary school bus yelled racial slurs at Detroit fishermen.
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