After meeting last week to discuss their future, ice users in Windsor will be heading to City Hall on Monday to try and get council to reconsider its decision to end curling at Roseland Golf & Curling Club.
At their final meeting of the year, city councillors will be asked to make a decision on where to move the curlers which will further impact other ice users.
The open house held on Wednesday, November 29, saw the Future of Curling Windsor-Essex Committee inviting other user groups out to explain the impacts on everyone depending on where curling is ultimately moved to.
Back in August, council approved a recommendation from administration to shut Roseland down and staff also recommended moving curling to one of the three community rinks at the WFCU Centre due to costs required to renovate the municipally owned facility.
That recommendation created the backlash from other ice users who were concerned about losing their own rinks and times.
On Monday, administration will recommend one of the WFCU Centre rinks as the best option for curlers' new home but the report details that all four City arenas mentioned have the capacity to accommodate a dedicated 5 sheet curling rink with some renovations to the existing ice pad.
However, there are pros and cons for each location including the WFCU Centre, Adie Knox Herman, Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex, and Forest Glade.
Ward 8 councillor Gary Kaschak says reversing the decision on Roseland isn't happening, but he's pleased with how things have worked since his motion in August to consult with the users and administration to determine which location would be the best.
He's looking forward to the discussion, as the report provided is very extensive with a lot of relevant details.
"The ice charts were fantastic, that showed where everything could be. Certainly looks like all minor hockey users, figure skaters, will be accommodated 100 per cent. There'll be some challenges with some of the adult options but I think after further discussion with our administration and ice staff that we're going be able to make a great majority of those work as well," he said.
Kaschak says he understands the frustration from the groups, as anytime people have to change venues and locations speculation is always rampant about what comes next.
He says Windsor has already seen this with Adstoll Park Arena closing, Riverside Arena closing, and sports like lacrosse and baseball across the city consolidating but they've determined there is excess ice for those impacted this time around.
"We're trying to make the best financial decisions for the complete taxpayers in the City of Windsor, and also though for the users playing sports to accommodate them," Kaschak continued. "To make sure that we're able to allow them to curl, but maybe not spend $10-million or $15-million to renovate an old, aging facility like Roseland."
Kaschak says whatever decision is made on Monday, the ice users won't feel the impact until next September and between now and then further consultations will be held as the city works to update whichever arena is chosen.
"Definitely some consultations, some renovations to facilities. This gives us almost 10 months to make that happen, to get the new schedules out, and to get all of the users involved. Some of the people aren't going to be happy, but I think for the most part this is good progress for Windsor moving forward," he said.
Also included in the report is an expenditure of up to $525,000 to permanently relocate curling from Roseland to whatever new arena is chosen, which would include preparing the new rink and renovations related to a second-level lounge space overlooking the curling rink.