'Olive branch' to Windsor from Ambassador Bridge owner met with skepticism, optimism

Residents of Sandwich Towne are hoping the owner of the Ambassador Bridge will make some improvements to their neighbourhood as part of his efforts to improve relations following last month's blockade.

Bridge owner Matthew Moroun said earlier this month he wants to extend an "olive branch" to Windsor following the blockade, which saw protesters against mask mandates prevent access to the bridge for a week last month.

But some are skeptical.

The historic neighbourhood has been "choked and strangled by moves that the bridge has done, particularly the block busting, then the boarding up of the houses for so long, and then the demolition of those houses," said Mike Cardinal, who's lived in Sandwich Towne for decades.

"We're treated like we're in the way," he said. "But we live here."

In an interview with CBC News, Moroun said he understands there's bad blood between the Detroit International Bridge Company — which he chairs, and runs the Ambassador Bridge in conjunction with the Canadian Transit Company — and people in Windsor over how his father, Manuel "Matty" Moroun, conducted business.

Cardinal said Moroun has a lot to prove to residents of Sandwich Towne.

"He talks about an olive branch, he needs an olive tree to make up for all of the demolition work that he has done for the neighbourhood," Cardinal said.

For a start, Cardinal said, he'd like to see the bridge operators take care of the homes they purchased in the area of the Ambassador Bridge, which are boarded up, by cutting the grass and keeping the properties clean.

"There are some sponsorships that I know the Ambassador Bridge does for some high profile charities in the city," he said. "That's fantastic. But more than that, we are the people that are impacted right here."

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said he was "cautiously optimistic that the overture by Matthew Moroun to try and hit the reset button and find a pathway forward that would be not just good for the Ambassador Bridge but also good for Sandwich Towne and the City of Windsor."

"I'm happy to hear that, and at the end of the day, we'll judge everyone based not just on their words but also their actions," he said.

Ward 2 Coun. Fabio Costante said dealing with the bridge company is "frustrating and challenging" when it comes to the boarded up homes in Sandwich Towne.

Costante noted that the bridge received a federal permit to build a replacement span in 2017. That permit came with conditions, but the boarded-up homes "have nothing to do with the replacement span permit."

"Why they still exist in our neighbourhood is beyond me," Costante said of the boarded-up homes. "Every time we've been challenging the bridge company as to why these homes are still here, we've not received any type of reasonable response."

"The bridge company talks about the blockade this past month and the subsequent closure of [Huron Church Road being a black eye on the community," he said. "I would say that the boarded-up homes in Sandwich have been a cancer and all to do with the bridge company not coming forward to the city with any type of plan to replace those homes."

The federal permit was for a five-year period, and will expire in August, Costante said.

"I'd love to see a plan come to council on how they're going to replace these boarded up homes in our community and replace the density," he said. "You have to understand that at its peak ... you had over 100, 120, 130 boarded up properties here in Sandwich Towne."

"If you averaged three to four people per property, you've displaced ... roughly 500 people in this community," Costante said. "What followed were other things like [J.L. Forster Secondary School] closing, [Saint Francis Elementary School] closing."

"We lost the College Avenue Community Centre, and other amenities that have closed because of the exodus of residents in the in the community due to the boarded up homes."

Costante said plans for the area have been brought forward by the bridge company, including creating a community hub in the former high school in the neighbourhood. But nothing concrete has come of those ideas so far.

'I'd be glad to sit down and talk to them'

John Elliott, another resident of Sandwich Towne, said despite the challenges, the area is still a "wonderful" community, and he hopes Moroun follows through with his intentions to mend relations.

"I'd be glad to sit down and talk to them, and tell them what things are really around here, from somebody that lives here," he said. "Not somebody that lives outside."

"Since '73, I've been living here. So I know what I'm talking about when I talk about this community."