The curling community at Windsor's Roseland Golf and Curling Club could be moved to one of the ice pads at the WFCU Centre.
A report going to the Aug. 8 meeting of city council states that it is "not financially feasible" to continue curling at Roseland beyond the 2023-2024 season.
Based on available information and the condition of the existing facility at Roseland there is a strong likelihood for large emergency capital repairs in both the existing clubhouse and the aging curling rink within the next few years, or sooner.
The report includes three options for the future of curling, with administration recommending an option that would see the Corporal A.P. Grenon & Canadian Veterans Memorial Rink at the WFCU Centre converted into a five sheet rink for curling, at an estimated cost of $525,000.
According to the report from administration, the option involves minor renovations and upgrades to the Grenon ice pad, with the facility also able to easily accommodate the addition of a licensed bar, seating or lounge area, dedicated food/beverage service or amenities area, offering the opportunity for room rentals for bonspiels or gatherings.
Ward 8 councillor Gary Kaschak, Chair of the Roseland Golf and Curling Club board of directors, says there's a lot of passion involved on this issue.
"A lot of people don't like change but at the end of the day we have to do what's best for the taxpayer, and also to provide the sport to people," he says. "I think we can grow it in this new facility, with the parking and at a brand new ice facility moving forward."
Benjamin Iannetta, a member of the Committe for the Future of Curling in Windsor-Essex, says they don't want to see curling leave Roseland.
"The community thrives there. It's been set up and built specifically for curling. That allows for the ability to not only play the sport well but also socialize, which is a huge aspect of this sport," he says.
(zilli/iStock)
Removing one ice pad from the arena supply will result in the displacement of some existing user groups to new time slots at another city owned rink and some programs such as public skating may no longer be offered at the same time and/or location.
Kaschak says there is a ripple effect here, there's no doubt about it.
"We think that we can do it based on our hours of ice we have available at the various facilities," he says. "We think we can do a little bumping and shuffling to make it all work."
Iannetta says Windsor Minor Hockey and the hockey community in the city is huge.
"We're not trying to put ourselves at odds with the hockey community,' he says. "We want to work with them in collaboration because we want them to continue to have their facilities and use their facilities, just like we want to continue to use our facilities."
Iannetta says council needs to take the time and effort to really look into this.
"The idea of moving into an arena is feasible is only feasible with proper planning and proper money spent to retrofit that facility. Just putting us into an area won't do it justice and won't do the sport any good for the future," he adds.
The recommendation follows over a years worth of examining the future of the facility at the Roseland Golf and Curling Club, which included an audit, strategic business plan, feasibility study, public information session and online community surveys.
The other options in the report include renovating the existing Roseland facility clubhouse and curling area at an estimated cost of $12.5-million to $15-million, demolishing the existing clubhouse only and renovating the existing curling area at a cost of $8.5-million to $9.3-million, or building a new stand-alone curling rink facility at Roseland at an estimated cost of $9-million to $12-million.