Restoration, preservation funding for Willistead Manor announced by city leaders
On Sunday, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens and other city leaders announced $200,000 in funding dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the historic Willistead Manor.
According to a press release from the City of Windsor, a special reception was hosted at Willistead Manor in recognition of the continued support of Walkerville’s “historic gem.”
Mayor Drew Dilkens was joined by members of city council, city administration, Willistead Manor Inc., the Friends of Willistead, Rotary Club of Windsor (1918), among others, to recognize supporters and private and public donors.
Sunday marked the first time the reception has been held in person since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“City council and the City of Windsor remain committed to heritage conservation and preservation at the historic Willistead Manor in Walkerville. We are thrilled with these recent generous contributions,” said Dilkens.
Dilkens presented a cheque for $15,000 to Willistead Manor Inc., with the funds being raised during last summer’s Roaring 20s event during a fundraiser dinner that celebrated the unveiling of the Hiram Walker Commemorative Statue and the grand opening of the permanent Coach House Historical Exhibition.
Willistead Manor in Walkerville is seen on Jan. 29, 2023. (Michelle Maluske/CTV News Windsor)
Rotary Club of Windsor (1918) donated a cheque for $85,737.57 to the City of Windsor, which was raised during the 42nd annual Art in the Park Festival last summer. Proceeds from the festival support both the restoration of Willistead Manor as well as Rotary’s other charitable causes.
Charleigh Charitable Trust also announced a $100,000 donation, to be disbursed over four years in increments of $25,000 each year, on behalf of the Walker family descendants.
Hiram Walker’s great-great granddaughter Pamela Morse and her husband Tony were in attendance to present the cheque to the Willistead Manor Inc.'s Board of Directors.
“We are honoured to see our family legacy celebrated in the City of Windsor. We greatly appreciate the work of the Willistead Board, the Friends of Willistead, and the City of Windsor to preserve the manor and the story of the Walker family,” said Leigh and Charles Merinoff, on behalf of the Walker Family descendants.
“With this ongoing support, we are able to keep the manor house, the surrounding buildings, and the park site vibrant, thriving and brimming with heritage, culture and art all year long,” said Dilkens. “This is a great day for Willistead Manor, and the City is grateful for these significant contributions.”
As part of a 15-acre estate, Willistead Manor is a 36-room mansion that was originally constructed in 1904-1906 for Edward Chandler Walker, the second son of Hiram Walker, and his wife Mary Griffin Walker.
Today, Willistead Manor is used for weddings, meetings, performances, programs and special events.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Feds hope to table foreign interference legislation next week: LeBlanc
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to table legislation this week to help the federal government address foreign interference, but he wouldn't say whether the proposal will include a foreign agent registry.