Memorial garden unveiled on Windsor’s waterfront in honour of impaired driving victims

The MADD Memorial Garden was unveiled for grieving families; a quiet space meant for reflection. CTV’s Chris Campbell has the details.

A new memorial garden unveiled on Windsor’s waterfront is offering a tranquil place for reflection while sending a public message about the devastating consequences of impaired driving.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada and its Windsor and Essex County chapter officially opened the site Wednesday morning near the Great Canadian Flag at Dieppe Gardens, marking more than a decade of planning and advocacy.

“It’s so wonderful to see this garden being installed here on the waterfront,” said Tanya Hansen Pratt, MADD Canada’s national president.

“It’s an amazing location here in Windsor and a wonderful location for victims and survivors of impaired driving to come and find some peace and tranquility, to think of their loved ones and to be able to grieve in a location that’s also public.”

Hansen Pratt, whose mother was killed by an impaired driver in 1999, said memorials like this are vital for healing.

“My mom’s name is on a memorial in Manitoba, so I know what it’s like to have a location for victims and survivors to come,” she said. “It’s really important to be able to come to a place like this and to remember our loved ones, and to know that they’ll always be remembered.”

The garden features benches and a commemorative plaque, and while the grass and trees are still maturing, organizers say the site will continue to grow.

“It’s not fully done yet,” said Chaouki Hamka, community leader with MADD Canada’s Windsor and Essex County chapter. “But I’d say by next year, once the trees mature, once the grass matures, we’ll add some flowers and then there’ll be hopefully a phase two for this.”

Hamka said plans for a gazebo and a memorial wall are also being explored.

“I drove here last night just to take a quick look at it, and you can just tell there was a sense of warmth and comfort just when I saw, you know, the benches and the cement and just even our plaque,” he said.

He added the issue hits close to home in the Windsor area.

“We’re a border town and unfortunately mental health is on the rise. We have a lot of addictions,” said Hamka, who works as a correctional officer. “You know, we just have a big drug issue here in Windsor unfortunately, and when you deal with drugs and alcohol, you tend to make irresponsible decisions. And that’s by driving impaired.”

Deputy Chief Jason Crowley with Windsor Police Service said while awareness appears to be improving among younger generations, the message still needs to reach everyone.

“It’s not acceptable. It’s not tolerated,” Crowley said. “We hope people are getting the message.”

Windsor Port Authority president and CEO Steve Salmons said the location of the memorial along the city’s waterfront adds lasting visibility to MADD’s message.

“The increasing awareness and the efforts to bring greater attention to this matter can never end and it’s never sufficient,” Salmons said. “This is a physical presence beyond the red ribbons and the commercials we see and the billboards we see. Now we’re going to have a physical presence here every day.”

According to Hamka the project cost about $40,000 and received support from several local partners including St. Clair College, Caesars Windsor Cares, the Windsor Port Authority and the City of Windsor.

MADD Canada says its memorials across the country serve as permanent reminders of the consequences of impaired driving and as places of healing for victims and survivors.