Windsor residents are invited "To Line the Drive" this Sunday for the Detroit Free Press Marathon.
The City of Windsor, Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island, and the Downtown Windsor BIA are teaming up to once again invite residents to line Riverside Drive to cheer on runners in the marathon.
Five so-called Cheer Zones will be set up for residents to encourage those running their first marathon, or their tenth.
The zones are located at:
* Straith Park on Riverside Drive West between Josephine Avenue and Campbell Avenue
* Art Windsor-Essex at the Vision Corridor on Riverside Drive West between Bruce Avenue and Church Street
* Tourism Cheer Zone on Riverside Drive West between Ferry Street and Ouellette Avenue
* Windsor City Hall on Park Street East and City Hall Square South
* Windsor-Detroit Tunnel on Park Street East across from the entrance to the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Customs exit.
New this year, the Windsor City Hall Cheer Zone will feature a Canada Starts Here photo op so runners and spectators can capture the moment, while Canadian flags will be handed out to runners at the Tourism Cheer Zone.
Throughout the route in Windsor, runners and spectators can enjoy music, entertainment, community activations, and giveaways. BioSteel, the Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County, and Essex County will distribute flags representing the countries of origin of those registered to run.
"Line the Drive is one of those events that shows what Downtown Windsor does best, bringing people together and creating an incredible atmosphere," said Windsor Ward 3 Councillor Renaldo Agostino. "Seeing residents line the route, wave the Canadian flag, and cheer on thousands of runners from around the world brings an energy to our downtown that you can't replicate."
The first runners are expected to start crossing the Ambassador Bridge by 7:25 a.m. on Sunday, while the last ones are expected to enter the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel by 10 a.m. The tunnel will close at 6:15 a.m. and reopen at 10:15 a.m.
Once again this year, there will be road closures in Windsor to accommodate the marathon.
* Huron Church Road will close between Wyandotte Street West to University Avenue West
* Riverside Drive West will close from Huron Church Road to Ouellette Avenue
* Ouellette Avenue from Riverside Drive to University Avenue East
* University Avenue East from Ouellette to McDougall Street
* McDougall Street from University Avenue East to City Hall Square South
* City Hall Square South from McDougall Street to Park Street East
* Park Street East from City Hall Square South to the Windsor Detroit Tunnel Plaza.
Seventy per cent of registrants for this year's race are new, and about 3,000 Canadian runners are registered to participate.
