City council has made a decision on the future of the aging Charles Brooks Memorial Peace Fountain, opting to keep the original design, but with a few new additions.
Three options were presented for council to consider regarding the replacement of the popular monument. During Monday’s meeting, council voted in favor of ‘option one’ — a water-based floating fountain.
“The fountain has been a much-loved addition to Windsor for years and years. It has significance of being the only floating fountain within North America at least, could be in the world,” Coun. Jo-Anne Gignac said. “But it’s had its challenges and certainly has outlived the expectation of the years of service it could provide.”
the floating fountain option aims to retain the spirit of the original, essentially keeping a “like-for-like” design but with a one 24′ diameter central raft, and two 12′ side rafts.
This option was the most cost-effective at about $7 million, with the others coming in close to $20 million, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens previously told CTV News.
City officials said the current fountain is nearing the end of its lifespan and have known for years the fountain would need to be replaced.
Due to necessary repairs and a delay in parts arriving from overseas, getting the fountain installed for this season has been behind.
Given those delays, Coun. Gary Kaschak said he’s heard concerns from residents wondering where the new fountain and its parts will be built.
Those concerns were put to rest after hearing the replacement would be Ontario-made.
“Designed, built in Ontario, I like that. That’s music to my ears,” Kaschak said.
The Charles Brooks Memorial Peace Fountain, first added to the Detroit River in 1978, is usually installed each summer near Reaume Park and Coventry Gardens, and frequently serves as the backdrop for prom, graduation and wedding photos.
In addition to deciding on a design, council also agreed to consider a name-change. An idea brought forward by the son and grandson of the peace fountain’s namesake.
George Brooks, son of Charles Brooks who was the first president of Unifor Local 444, asked council to consider rebranding the fountain to the Charles Brooks International Peace Fountain.
“We can, and I suggest to you, create an annual celebration of peace and democracy in the City of Windsor that would be embraced by the world,” Brooks proposed.
Gignac and Dilkens echoed support for the peace fountain going ‘international.’
“It’s been there a long time, it’s certainly told the story to many people of Charlie Brooks and the history of Local 444 and I think rebranding it as an international peace fountain is certainly very, very appropriate,” Dilkens said.
The Mayor said he looks forward to bringing the idea to the community and seeking support from provincial and federal partners to help offset costs before bringing the motion back to council.