It's a bird. It's a plane. It's a message of love from Detroit?
A group of Metro Detroit residents want Windsor residents to know they love them.
They'll fly an aerial banner over the Detroit River on Monday to express gratitude to Canadians and recognize the close ties between Detroit and Windsor.
The banner also celebrates the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
If you're near the Detroit River on Monday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., you might catch a glimpse of the banner flying between Belle Isle and the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
The community-led effort was led by the Detroit Downtown Partnership (DDP). The group has been around since 1922, working to improve social and economic impact in downtown Detroit.
Eric Larson, CEO of the DDP, told WindsorNewsToday.ca that the idea for a banner came from ordinary Detroiters.
"It was an idea that was actually brought to us by some civic-minded citizens, and [they] felt that not only is this a good time to send a gesture of gratitude to our neighbours and friends in Canada, but also important to recognize the leadership and just the consistent ability to show up as it related to the completion of the Gordie Howe bridge," said Larson.
American officials weren't invited to the July ceremony to open the new border crossing amid trade tensions, and after U.S. President Donald Trump delayed the bridge's opening earlier this year.
Larson said that the region as a whole benefits from tourism and business standpoints regardless of economic challenges or political disagreements.
"We have been working hard with our partners in Canada, especially in Windsor-Essex, to continue to make sure people recognize that despite some of the conversation that's taking place in the political halls, there are opportunities for us to engage," said Larson.
The banner will carry a simple message: "Detroit and Canada are bridged in friendship."
The flight was originally scheduled for Sunday but was pushed to Monday due to rain in the forecast.
-with files from Mark Brown
