After a lengthy discussion, and a long list of delegates, a compromise has been made for local user groups and curlers at the Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex.
A report to city council proposed changing the curling rink back to a skating pad at Capri due to a fire at the WFCU Centre at the end of April, which caused $1-million in damage and displaced a number of user groups like the Riverside Minor Hockey Association.
While there was concern of who would be able to use the rink at the Capri Complex, the owners of Central Park Athletics stepped up to offer prime ice time for curlers. Leigh Ann and James King were delegates and stated they would be able to convert a soccer field at Central Park into a four-lane curling rink within the next few months.
Council approved the report to convert the Capri rink to a skating rink, and to start conversations with the curlers to discuss a modified season, as well as to start conversations with other arenas locally to see if ice is available, and with the Kings to see when they could get ice operational at Central Park.
The city will proceed with the hockey season as is, and when the season is over they will convert it back to a curling pad. The curlers will use the pad from April through August 2026. While this will likely work for the curlers, the Special Olympics curling group - whose season starts in November - will now be forced to find a new, temporary home.
Mike Koutsonicolas, representing Special Olympics, says this wasn't the decision they wanted to hear.
"Our league is a certain timeframe because we're competing against other teams that are practicing and competing at that time. By moving it to the spring, there's no teams to compete against. We have to compete when they compete. So, hopefully like council said, that they will find somebody out there who can find a couple of hours for us."
He says they will make sure these kids get to curl this season.
"So now we have to be more pro-active as parents, we have to do some fundraising, we'll have to sit there and crunch the numbers. We have certain protocols too, we just can't put the athletes in our cars, we have to rent vans because of insurance purposes, and we fall under insurance policies."
Terry Fink, Chair of Save Curling in the City of Windsor, says he thinks the other curlers will be open to the shifted season.
"The fire has caused us and has turned us all upside down and backwards. What we're looking for is where is the silver lining? And that's why it was so important that the consultation took place, and people can come out, and we're going to work hard to have a curling season."
Fink says the curlers never knew that Central Park Athletics was an option.
"Were we surprised? Yes, we were surprised. We did not know that. And I don't think the City of Windsor staff knew it either. So, it's new information, it's always very exciting. Even knowing that there's extra hockey time available starts to address some of the problems, and the balance that we're looking for."
Leigh Ann King, owner of Central Park Athletics, says they would be heartbroken if Central Park was in the same position.
"We're here to help and give options, and that's what we're here to do. If the city wants to explore the dedicated space for curling, we're here to do that. And if they would like to use our prime time ice on the weekend to help alleviate the pain for everybody."
James King, owner of Central Park Athletics, says they're unsure how much it would cost to construct the curling rink.
"We did contact a few people, and they definitely said that it's possible, there's no problem of doing it. But at the end of the day, we would have to look at all the ins and outs, and depending on the ice surface, that will dictate what the cost would be."
The King's add that they believe they could have the soccer field renovated into the curling rink within a few months. They add that they will be continuing conversations with the city to go over the options available.
If the King's are able to get install the curling rink sooner rather than later then they could accommodate the curlers for their regular season.
City officials state repairs at the WFCU Centre could take up to a year.