Dear Mayor Dilkens and Councillors:

The Windsor Sculpture Garden was founded in October 1997 and renamed The Odette Sculpture Park in September 2001. It was later recognized as the Sculpture Capital of Canada by The Canadian Sculpture Society.

This Museum without Walls was established by the very generous donor Mr. Louis Odette as a result of his passion for sculpture and artists.

(Patrons: The P & L Odette Foundation and Patricia and Lou Odette)

After changing the landscape of the University of Windsor with his generous donations of art and sculpture, it was easy to suggest to him a sculpture garden along the river, much like the European sculpture gardens that he and his wife Patricia had visited and loved. At this time Windsor had only one outdoor public sculpture. And few people knew anything about sculpture. As Mayor Hurst stated in the book 'Sculpture By the River, a museum without walls,’ - "I must confess that I knew very little about sculpture or sculpture parks when I met with Lou Odette in February 1997.”

The vision that Mr. Odette had was a waterfront exhibiting sculpture, in various styles, for all ages. It was to be a place for enjoying the outdoors, contemplation, silence, and peace. It was to be a place where the changes of the seasons allowed one to see sculpture differently and feel differently. It was to bring reverence to a 3 kilometre waterfront much needed in a world where constant activity is the norm.

And it was understood that the sculptures were not to be moved for fifteen years at the request of the donor.

If the Celestial Beacon is installed at Assumption Park, what happens to the feeling of The Odette Sculpture Park as there are sculptures to the east and west of the parking lot.

The Flying Men by Dame Elizabeth Frink, the first to be installed in the garden, is very close or may need to be moved. The Neighbours by Joe Rosenthal is also close as are other sculptures. Will these sculptures be more easily damaged?

What happens to the importance of green space that Roy Battagello and Bert Weeks worked so hard to accomplish, and then made even more enjoyable with sculptural art.

What happens to the quietness and intimacy of Assumption Park, to the importance of this area of the city where one connects with the narrows of the Detroit River bringing our two cities and two countries closer together, and experiencing it at this site.

What happens to the runners, walkers, cyclists who enjoy going to and from the Ambassador Bridge to Downtown constantly in a joy of being ‘in fresh air.’