Windsor’s Ojibway Nature Centre has now been a fixture in the community for half a century. On Saturday, the centre marked its 50th anniversary with an open house to showcase special exhibits and celebrate its history. Karen Alexander, Windsor’s naturalist and supervisor of natural areas, said the space has grown over the years, giving residents more room to enjoy it and the available programming. “Over the years, the city ran the nature centre to help the people of Windsor learn about nature, appreciate the natural world,” Alexander said. In the 1970’s, Alexander said the city and the province decided the park would be best served as a home for nature education. As part of Saturday’s celebrations, the day featured guided hikes through the park, opportunities for little ones to hold the snakes native to the area, and specialized exhibits. “I would say, [Windsor is] very fortunate to have access to these beautiful parks and access to our natural world. Many urban places don’t have such close access,” she said. Over the years, residents from across Essex County, like Julie Babcock, have made fond memories at the park. Growing up, Babcock would play on the “Maudie,” an old ship that stood in the park for years. “They pulled it out of the Detroit River and put it here, and we kids were able to get on it and just have a hay day on there,” Babcock recalled. On Saturday, she returned to “take a walk down memory lane” with her son and grandson on the nature centre’s birthday. Over the years, Babcock said she’s glad to see the park, its displays, and trails have all grown to highlight the gem in the community. “It’s nice to have… displays so that you can actually get up close and personal with some of the animals, the species and everything,” she said. Though the event is over, the city said the special exhibits will be available until the end of the year.
