Quantcast
Channel: Windsor Star - RSS Feed
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 23731

Businessman brought Italian spirit to Windsor-Essex

$
0
0

More than 7,000 kilometres separate Windsor-Essex from the northern Italian city of Udine — but that distance didn’t keep businessman Adriano Savoia from leaving an indelible mark here.

“He was a person of boundless energy,” recalls Windsor resident Bianca DeLuca, a cousin to Savoia. “He was a real dynamo.”

Savoia passed away in Udine on Monday at the age of 69. DeLuca said the last time he came to Windsor was about a decade ago, but the evidence of his connection to the community will last much longer than that.

One concrete example: The Udine Fountain that sits in Dieppe Gardens on Windsor’s riverfront.

Active in Udine’s municipal government, Savoia was a part of the contingent that gave Windsor the traditional Italian fountain when Udine was declared a sister city to Windsor in 1977.

“He was a land developer and realtor in Italy,” DeLuca said. “He was a gifted entrepreneur and businessman.”

DeLuca said Savoia enjoyed Windsor’s City of Roses nickname so much that the motto of his company became “Una rosa di soluzioni” — “a rose of solutions.”

Savoia’s late wife Renza also had relatives who settled in Windsor — among them Lou Romano, for whom the west end’s water reclamation plant is named.

But perhaps Savoia’s strongest connection to the area was the part he played in turning Essex County into wine country. DeLuca said Savoia was one of the original investors in Colio Estate Wines, the Harrow winery that brought Italian master winemaker Carlo Negri to the region.

“I think Italians are explorers by nature,” DeLuca said. “They just wanted to better their own lives and the lives of their offspring.”

Italian businessman Adriano Savoia (R) is shown with Armando DeLuca (centre) and Carl DeLuca (R) in this 1995 family photo. (Handout / The Windsor Star)

Italian businessman Adriano Savoia (R) is shown with Armando DeLuca (centre) and Carl DeLuca (L) in this 1995 family photo. (Handout / The Windsor Star)

DeLuca said Savoia never took up permanent residence in Canada, but there was a time when his visits were frequent. “He would come to Windsor often with other Italian businessman. He was here every two or three months, at one point.”

“He liked it because of the climate,” DeLuca said. “The culture, the lifestyle, and the fact that there was a family connection.”

Savoia was also known for his passion for sports — particularly basketball and cycling.

The cause of his death on Monday was cardiac complications. But DeLuca feels he never lacked for heart — or Italian spirit.

“Definitely. Very strong, very vibrant,” DeLuca said. “It’s a spirit of brotherhood… with body and soul.”

Savoia is survived by three children and seven grandchildren.

The Udine Fountain in Dieppe Gardens on the downtown Windsor riverfront is shown on Mar. 27, 2013. (Dylan Kristy / The Windsor Star)

The Udine Fountain in Dieppe Gardens on the downtown Windsor riverfront is shown on Mar. 27, 2013. (Dylan Kristy / The Windsor Star)

The Udine Fountain in Dieppe Gardens on the downtown Windsor riverfront is shown on Mar. 27, 2013. (Dylan Kristy / The Windsor Star)

The Udine Fountain in Dieppe Gardens on the downtown Windsor riverfront is shown on Mar. 27, 2013. (Dylan Kristy / The Windsor Star)

Detail of the Udine Fountain on the downtown Windsor riverfront on Mar. 27, 2013. (Dylan Kristy / The Windsor Star)

Detail of the Udine Fountain on the downtown Windsor riverfront on Mar. 27, 2013. (Dylan Kristy / The Windsor Star)

dchen@windsorstar.com or on Twitter: @WinStarChen

Find Windsor Star on Facebook

Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 23731

Trending Articles