W E S T E R N D I S T R I C T

In its 15th year, the annual Heritage Essex Model Toy & Train Show is ongoing this weekend at Essex District High School, 244 Talbot Street North in Essex.

The show occupies two gymnasiums with vendors in the hallways as well.  Some are local, many have traveled hundreds of kilometers to be present.  Notable in its absence last year, the London N’Gineers are back again with their impressive N-Scale modular layout. Also new to the show is the Windsor Modular Railroad Club’s new N-Scale layout, a “work in progress” you can get involved in at their club’s location in the Market Square building on Ottawa street.

Getting involved in a modular railroad club has several advantages.  The most important one is that one benefits from being vetted by modeling experts who welcome novices into the fold.  Also, for those with space issues, many clubs – like the Windsor one – have plenty of square footage accessible to its members.

Local manufacturing lost to off-shore companies?  Not for notable local artist and Ford retiree Mark Williams, the owner and founder of Imagine That! Laser Art Products.  Mark’s Windsor-made model kits are designed and manufactured right in his newly established Windsor shop, and we were happy to see his products at the show.  This company’s kits include some local landmarks familiar to railfans, such as the Pelton Tower, which was torn down years ago.

Also a show regular is the growing Essex County Historical Society with free literature and book/postcard sales, creating a draw not just for train and model kit hobbyists, but also for fans of local history.

Pictured here is a prototype sample of one of Imagine That’s new projects.  How about that…  a model street car line in the making?   An untapped market in North America.   In time you’ll be able to buy an detailed model kit of a streetcar that ran on the streets of Windsor.  Not bad!

The show continues today and tomorrow.  Admission is $5 for adults.  $4 for seniors.  If you have nothing to do this weekend, this enjoyable show might be the ticket.

No sitting home with the game console for this budding skater as well as many other Windsor families and young couples who came out in great numbers to enjoy free skating at Charles Clark Square – one of Windsor’s great civic assets.

It’s becoming an annual affair at St. Barnabas church which already has a busy event calendar especially this time of year – their “Living Nativity”.  Drop by on Sunday, December 13th, between 6-8pm to see.  Today’s photo shows parishoners setting up for this event in 2007.

Events such as today’s Walkerville Holiday Walkabout continue to help drive Old Walkerville’s growth over the last few years into being Windsor’s most desirable and vibrant area to live.  Here we see some carolers who were strolling about and setting up in front of various shops entertaining the crowds.

The exhibit, “Electric Avenue: Windsor’s Historic Streetcars” continues to be popular with gallery visitors at AGW.  It runs until January 3, 2010.  If you haven’t visited yet, please consider doing so. The exhibit emphasizes Windsor’s past as a Canadian pioneer in electric streetcar and interurban transit and the potential to be so once again on day.

Cyclist out in front in the Master I race of the 51st annual Tour di Via Italia on Erie street, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009.  A labour day tradition in Windsor since 1958.

Most of you probably remember the amazing airshows sponsored by Big V and Chrysler. It’s been years since Windsor has had any kind of airshow, least of all one of this magnitude.

The Windsor International Airshow continues today at the Windsor Flying Club. If you plan on visiting, don’t forget to take Airport road off Walker to the flying club entrance, not the main YQG entrance on Division.

Pictured above – Airshow volunteer, Barry, selling souvenir t-shirts and coins, as well as helping provide information and direction to visitors.

A crowd pleaser with a storied past, Canadian Mitchell B-25 Bomber with invasion stripes.  This plane resides at the Canadian Warplane Heritage museum in Hamilton.

Admission is $20 and well worth the price to see the static displays and enjoy the demonstrations from the flight line.

This afternoon’s Scaledown Radio was as usual hosted by blogster Chris Holt with guests Bernie Drouillard, Ron Drouillard, and yours truly discussing an upcoming exhibit to take place at the Art Gallery of Windsor from Oct. 3 to Dec. 3.  The exhibit will feature historic photos, route maps, artifacts, and much more of our area’s historic and forgotten past as innovators and leaders in light rail urban and interurban transit.  All of this with an eye on bringing streetcars back to Windsor and Essex county.  Other communities have already rediscovered light rail and have benefited greatly from it.  Why not us?

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Special Olympics Opening Ceremonies were held at WFCU Centre Thursday night. The floor was reserved for athletes coming from all over Ontario, while the stands were filled with many hundreds of fans and well-wishers.

Reciting together Dr. Hayden’s oath that has been part of the Special Olympics since its second year, in 1970.