‘Iconic’ canopy proposed for riverfront Festival Plaza, at $32.5M cost

A futuristic canopy with a $32.5-million price tag is being proposed to remedy a sore thumb on Windsor’s treasured riverfront — the sun-baked stage and swath of asphalt known as Festival Plaza.

“What I see here is really about dreaming big as a city,” Mayor Drew Dilkens said Monday of the proposed design that goes to council Oct. 4 for a general endorsement as well as a green light to seek public input. He agreed that the cost is a “big ask,” but argued it’s needed for major, transformational improvements to the plaza, which event organizers and attendees have criticized since it opened 10 years ago for its absence of shade and protection from the elements.

The new design would cover the Riverfront Festival Plaza stage as well as a 5,000-person-plus audience area with a permanent canopy designed as a dome with translucent material in the middle to let in diffused light but keep out the harsh sunlight. It would also provide an open view of the water.

“This is a lot of money but it’s also an iconic piece that people when they see it, it’ll be one of those postcard features that people will recognize,” the mayor said.

There’s no doubt this is expensive

The current Festival Plaza was a good first step, improving on the simple bandshell that was used at the site for many years, he said. But it basically amounts to “a stage in a parking lot.” Since it opened, there have been incremental changes, but nothing has been done to eliminate the biggest complaint: that the plaza is a “heat island.”

“Standing in the middle of an asphalt parking lot in the middle of summer at high noon, it’s pretty tough to handle for any length of time,” Dilkens said.

The canopy will also basically guarantee the show will go on, rain or shine.

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“From an organizer perspective, this deals with being able to host shows and events even when it’s raining outside, and from an attendee perspective it eliminates that heat island issue that’s been prevalent since we opened Festival Plaza,” he said.

Phase One of Festival Plaza Improvements has already been completed with the construction of a big retaining wall starting in 2019. The initial phase of the canopy project involves $3.8 million worth of underground work, which could commence as early as next year if the council approves it at budget time. Then subsequent phases would follow, including $13.5 million for construction of the canopy and $8.3 million for significant landscaping, lighting, and using converted shipping containers for washrooms, concessions and other amenities.`

The canopy will peak at about 14 meters above the Riverside Drive roadway, sloping down sharply in all directions, according to an administrative report to the council. “This unique design of incorporating a translucent roof in the center will not only bring light to the area under the canopy but will also create a sense of openness and allow views to the water,” it says. “The canopy was also designed to create a comfortable space by attenuating southwest winds in the colder season while allowing the south winds in the warmer months.”

It’s expected that events could be held earlier in the spring and later into the fall.

The consultants have also conducted acoustic and noise studies to ensure the even distribution of sound under the canopy while blocking traffic and other environmental noise from outside.