Michael D. Hurst

Michael (Mike) D. Hurst was the 32nd Mayor of Windsor, serving in that role from 1992 until 2003. His greatest legacy as mayor was the development of the riverfront strip that stretches from Hiram Walker all the way to the Ambassador Bridge, and is home to a walkway, sculpture gardens, bicycle paths, and play areas.

Hurst became the Mayor of Windsor in 1991, after garnering more votes than his opponent, Jerry Woloschuk. He served four terms as Mayor, and during that time achieved notable victories for the City. Hurst worked very closely with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission to bring Casino Windsor to town – a venture that is now one of the largest employers in the city, and has completely changed the look of the downtown. Hurst was also a great supporter of the auto industry in Windsor, and was at the helm of choosing the new headquarters for what was then known as DaimlerChrysler Canada. The project has had its fair share of controversies, but today the building is still known as the Chrysler Building, and is located on Ouellette Avenue.

Hurst was born in Windsor, grew up in the Remington Park area and was very interested in sports. He attended Gilmour Public School, and it was during his time there that he got the first taste of politics – distributing cards for the Sandwich East Town council member Joe Spidalieri. Hurst went on to obtain a law degree from the University of Windsor, and worked in the City’s legal office for a while. After his tenure as the Mayor of Windsor, Hurst chaired the Detroit River Tunnel Partnership, and more recently, was appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice as a Justice of the Peace for the western region.

Sources:

Chen, D. “Ex-mayor Hurst now justice“. The Windsor Star, Oct. 19, 2010. Retrieved April 17, 2018

Fields, S. “His heart was always in Windsor”. The Windsor Star, Dec. 3, 2003. Pp.C8-10.

Mike Hurst (Politician). Wikipedia. Retrieved April 17, 2018

Potter, J. “Municipal election ’91: It’s Hurst by a mile“. The Windsor Star, Nov. 13, 1991. Retrieved April 17, 2018

Potter, J., & Vander Doelen, C. (1991, Nov 02). “No common ground: The backgrounds of Mike Hurst and Jerry Woloschuk – the two leading contenders in the Windsor mayoral race – shed light on their differences“. The Windsor Star, Nov. 2, 1991. Retrieved April 17, 2018