A $22-million project to expand drinkable water storage capacity in Windsor and to redevelop George Avenue Park is complete.
Officials unveiled the brand new underground reservoir, which adds 35 mega litres to Windsor's storage capacity for potable water Friday.
ENWIN Utilities Vice-President of Water Operations Gary Rossi says the project was a huge undertaking.
"The reservoir beneath us represents over a $20-million investment by the Windsor Utilities Commission in the City of Windsor and the future of our community," he says. "From planning to completion it took nearly three years to design, build and commission, and now, with the reopening of George Avenue Park it's complete."
Mayor Drew Dilkens didn't want to downplay the new park, but space to store 14 Olympic-size swimming pools of water underground is a magnificent feat.
"When you drive my you may see a playground and think, okay, there's a great playground for the kids to come an experience, but you need to know that this is a more then $20-million project underground behind us," he added.
According to officials, the new reservoir is capable of supplying residential water usage for 150,000 people or about 60,000 homes per day.
The city previously had just one basin to store drinking water with a capacity of 70 mega litres at the Albert H. Weeks Water Treatment Plant.
The Windsor Utilities Commission also contributed about $345,000 to the City of Windsor's $1.2 million redevelopment of George Avenue Park, a 6.2-acre park area at the corner of Wyandotte Street East and George Avenue.
George Avenue Park improvements include: