As the holiday season arrives and families across Windsor and Detroit gather to reflect on the year, one young Windsor boy is especially excited for what’s ahead.
Five-year-old Lucas Legare has spent more than two years following the progress of the Gordie Howe International Bridge project. His parents, Brittany and Matt Legare, say he has always loved construction sites, but something about this project captured his imagination in an unforgettable way.
Lucas watched as the two towers rose to their full heights of 220 metres/722 feet and celebrated each stage of construction. In December 2022, when the bridge deck began to extend outward, his grandparents, Sharon and Jeff Marshall, started a weekly tradition: driving by the site with Lucas to check on the progress – a ritual they still cherish today.
Together, they witnessed the installation of all 216 stay cables and celebrated when the bridge deck first connected in June 2024. Lucas was equally fascinated by the elevator climbing system on the towers and the two massive 243-metre/797-foot cranes, painted red and blue, his favourite colours.
For Brittany and Matt, Lucas’s excitement has become a bright spot in the year, and they are eagerly awaiting opening day in early 2026.
“We cannot wait to cross the Gordie Howe International Bridge,” they said. “One, because it is history being made, and, two, because it’s something we can do as a family and create a lasting memory.”
Lucas, who turns six years of age at the end of February, has big plans for that first crossing – he wants to bike across the bridge.
“I would like to bike across because it will take more time,” he said. “A car is too fast. I want to see the river and all the buildings and take my time to look at everything.”
Lucas’ curiosity reflects something at the heart of this time of year: the joy of discovery and the strength of family traditions.
As people in the region look ahead to next year’s opening, Lucas – and many other travellers, young and old – are already imagining the moment they cross the Gordie Howe International Bridge for the very first time.
