Hospitality at the Argyle Manor Bed and Breakfast in Windsor – Page 3

His other children are actively involved in high level sports as well. Athletics definitely run in the family: Dr. Thomas’s older son Scott played basketball on his dad’s teams and also played pro-ball in Australia. His other son Brett is a volleyball coach. Kerri Thomas herself is also an accomplished athlete. She is a human kinetics graduate and plays elite level basketball, slo-pitch, floor hockey and volleyball. She works as a sports medicine therapist and loves her profession.

Another look at the Detroit skyline

After I finished breakfast I was ready to embark on some brief discoveries of Windsor. Just before I headed out the couple gave me some special tips on how to get rid of my plantar fasciitis that I had acquired in one of this summer’s tennis games. Dr. Thomas also explained various different pieces of physiotherapy equipment that are located at the couple’s house. There was no doubt that I was dealing with two experts of human kinetics here.

Historical townhouses in Walkerville

I had a couple of hours before my planned border crossing to Detroit, so I took a walk in the surrounding Walkerville area, a historic neighbourhood that was developed by Hiram Walker, the distillery owner of Canadian Club Whiskey fame. The distillery started in 1856 and Walkerville was originally a housing development for workers at his distillery. It also featured a number of upscale mansions for managers at Hiram Walker. The workers’ townhouses were built from 1858 onwards and are still in great shape today. The entire neighbourhood features leafy historic streets with attractive houses dating back to the Victorian times.

The grandeur of Willistead Manor

My stroll in the neighbourhood continued to Willistead Manor, the original mansion of the Walker family that today is a city park. The 36-room mansion was built between 1904 and 1906 and was designed by renowned Detroit architect Albert Kahn. It is surrounded by coachhouses and a large estate that is offen used for weddings, receptions and special events. The parkland surrounding the mansion is a popular destination for local joggers and dogwalkers.

Part of the Odette Sculpture Park at the Windsor waterfront

After my brief neighborhood walk I picked up my suitcase and said goodbye to my gracious hosts at the Argyle Manor Bed & Breakfast. To indulge in a few more local explorations, I briefly stopped at the Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery on the banks of the Detroit River, east of downtown Windsor. The company offers guided factory tours, but I did not have enough time to sample one. Today Canadian Club Whisky Company is part of the Pernod Ricard beverage empire and still going strong. Part of the expansive Hiram Walker complex, the Heritage Centre is a gorgeous early 19th century red brick Italianate building. This is also the starting point for the guided tours of the Canadian Club facility.

The Hiram Walker Heritage Centre

With my tight schedule of course I had to move on since I still wanted to see the waterfront and the Odette Sculpture Park which features more than 31 large, internationally renowned contemporary sculptures. On this gorgeous fall day, the views of the Ambassador Bridge and of downtown Detroit from the Windsor waterfront were simply astounding and made me curious to explore Detroit, the metropolis on the other side of the river.