WindsorEssex Community Foundation marks 40th anniversary with new trail entrance in Essex

WindsorEssex Community Foundation Community Entrance to the Cypher Systems Group Greenway opened in Essex, Ont. on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Source: Essex Region Conservation Authority/Twitter)

Students from Essex District Secondary School helped to plant 40 trees along the Cypher Systems Group Greenway Thursday in celebration of its new entrance.

Dozens of trail enthusiasts joined the students to celebrate the new WindsorEssex Community Foundation Community Entrance, which is a legacy gift marking the foundations 40 years of inspiring philanthropy.

“As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, we are focusing on what we do best: collaborating with our community partners to create projects that will invest in lasting change, reflect who we are as the people of Windsor and Essex County, value our sense of place and culture, and honour both our local history and our future as it unfolds,” Lisa Kolody, executive director of the WindsorEssex Community Foundation, said in a news release. “Windsor and Essex County boasts some of the most beautiful natural environments and green spaces, and we are proud to now be a part of the Greenway trail system, providing a much-needed access point for people to get out and experience this amazing resource in our community for years to come!”

Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy said the new community entrance allows greater access residents to enjoy the region’s trail systems.

“The WindsorEssex Community Foundation Community Entrance is a wonderful addition to our local trail system here in the Town of Essex,” she said. “The Cypher Systems Group Greenway is an important amenity for the Town, allowing residents and visitors the opportunity to be active and enjoy the outdoors.”

The new entrance on County Road 15 offers parking and trail access for walkers, joggers and cyclists and features a resting area and bike repair station. The entrance can also accommodate horse trailers, opening this section of the trail for horseback riders.

“On behalf of the families who will access the Greenway trails through the WindsorEssex Community Foundation Community Entrance for recreational enjoyment; members of the workforce who will use it for environmentally-friendly and lower cost transportation, and from the community at large – we thank you,” said ERCA Chair Jim Morrison.