Questions surrounding curling at Roseland asked during ward 1 community meeting

Questions surrounding the future of curling at Roseland Golf and Curling Club have been left on the ice. 

Terry Fink, a member of the Future of Curling in Windsor-Essex committee attended Windsor's Ward 1 meeting, asking the status of curling at Roseland, and if there would be public consultation when it came down to deciding a new home for the curlers.

Fred Francis' ward meeting was held Wednesday evening, where Fink asked councillor Francis what the next steps are for where curlers will play in Windsor. 

In August, Windsor city council decided that curlers at Roseland would be moved to a new home, but where that location would be would have to come back to council at a later date. 

Administration is working to determine where the best location for the curlers to play would be, with their preferred location being the WFCU Centre. 

However, Fink says since that meeting in August, there has been little communication from the city on when that report would come back, and the curlers want to know where they will play in the future. 

Francis responded to the question saying council is waiting for the report, but is anticipating it will be presented by the end of the year. He adds that once that report is presented, there will be public consultation for the rest of the process and decisions. 

Ward 1 residents attend community meeting held by councillor Fred Francis. November 8, 2023 (Photo Credit: Courtesy of AM800's Meagan Delaurier)

Fink says it's nice to hear that the report is being made. 

"The administration are in that process of consulting with people who are renting ice, and saying to them what if curling came to south Windsor, the Capri Centre, or what if it went to Adie Knox [Herman Arena] and we had to move you out. And so they are doing that right now."

He says he wanted to know if the residents would  be consulted for the process.

"We go back to our future in my question, and it is, will the ward 1 be consulted? And I got an affirmative, a positive answer from Fred that from now on they will be consulted. And so we hope that's true."

Fink adds that he expects many curlers to attend council when the next report is presented.

"We're certainly committed, there are over 400 curlers in the city that curl at Roseland, and that group of people are committed to curling and it is a very positive, leisure time activity for people."

Over 100 people attended the ward meeting at Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex, located at 2555 Pulford Street.

Only a few crowd questions were asked before Francis moved to a more one-on-one approach with those in attendance. 

The next ward meeting will be for ward 3 councillor Renaldo Agostino on November 15 at 6:30 p.m. That meeting will be held at the All Saints' Anglican Church, located at 330 City Hall Square West.