Ford Riverfront Lands (Windsor, Ontario)

The largely vacant parcel is owned by Ford Motor Co. and includes the site of the original Ford of Canada factory known as Plant 1.

The eastern part of the property was created in 1923 in conjunction with the construction of the Ford Power Plant. Docking facilities and storage areas were created by the use of fill to extend the shoreline into the Detroit River.

Coal was off-loaded from ships and stored before being transported by means of a gantry crane and conveyor to the power plant located on the south side of Riverside Drive. Later sand used in the casting of engine blocks at the foundry plant was also stockpiled at the Riverside site. At one time the power plant consumed 350 tons of coal a day.

The storage of coal was discontinued in 1971 with the conversion of the power plant to natural gas. The closing of the foundry plant in 2007 resulted in the end of the need for sand storage facilities.

Ongoing operations include water intake facilities, as well as a pump station and a screening building located at the extreme easterly end of the property and a lagoon to process water and for storm water management.