LaSalle wants place on Gordie Howe Bridge exit signage

The Town of LaSalle wants to be added to signage motorists pass when exiting the Gordie Howe International Bridge on the Canadian Side. Currently, signage only makes reference to the City of Windsor and the Town of Amherstburg. (Robert Lothian/CTV News Windsor)

LaSalle’s Mayor wants to put the town on the map – at least for drivers coming off the Gordie Howe International Bridge.

Crystal Meloche brought forward a motion to LaSalle Town Council to ask the Ontario Ministry of Transportation to review directional signage for motorists entering Canada.

Currently, exit signs mention Amherstburg and Windsor, but make no mention of LaSalle.

During a recent trip to drop her daughter off at the Detroit Metro Airport, Meloche said the signs stood out to her on the way home.

They are asking for the installation of directional signage clearly identifying the town and the most direct exits used to access the community.

“I still think there’s a missed opportunity for the town of LaSalle, especially when it’s something new, like an international border crossing,” Meloche said.

“We should have some sort of recognition in that area. We want tourism. We want to promote economic development. Those are the first steps you do in order to get recognized.”

Meloche said she’s not looking to have either municipality removed from the sign, but instead to have LaSalle included.

“When you take that exit, and you travel down that road, it’s right into the town of LaSalle, and so there’s no recognition of that,” Meloche added.

In recent years, the town has made investments in developments along the waterfront.

Meloche said added signage will hopefully help show off some of those areas they hope to highlight.

“People coming into our region may have never been here before, and maybe their intention wasn’t to go to LaSalle, but all of a sudden they see a sign that said LaSalle and they’re like, what’s LaSalle? What’s that community about? What’s there? Do they have something I might enjoy?” she said.

As part of the motion, town council will send letters to the transportation minister, Anthony Leardi, the MPP for Essex, Chris Lewis, the MP for Essex, and the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority.

LaSalle Town Council unanimously approved the motion.