Demolition of historic Riverside Brewery building officially underway
One of Windsor's most historic landmarks will soon be no more.
Demolition of Riverside Brewery started Monday after the Planning, Heritage and Economic Development Standing Committee voted to demolish the 95-year-old building during a meeting in December of last year.
The building's owner wants to make room for more piles of aggregate. However, since the structure is on the city's heritage registry, it needed approval from the committee and council to come down.
'Long time coming'
Chris Edwards, editor of a Walkerville-based magazine, said the building's demise was a long time coming.
"I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did. The building just sat vacant for over 50 years," he said.
Representing its time
Riverside Brewery opened in 1923 as a way of exporting alcohol into the United States during Prohibition and competed against four other breweries in Windsor.
"It never quite picked up the success it had hoped ... [Now], none are left," adding that Walkerville Brewery has been revived but "not in its original form."
Chuck Reed has been biking past the Riverside Brewery building for years and said that its demolition will open up a better view.
"[That] is always nice along the water. Or maybe it'll just be another spot to dump coal or other aggregate that they offload in this spot. But it's time to go," he said.
What's next
After the demolition, the owners will be barricading the area and begin landscaping.
No new buildings are proposed.
