There is now a less-murky direction for the future of curling in Windsor.
Windsor City Council voted in favour of accepting a report suggesting that curling be moved from the ageing Roseland Golf and Curling Club to the WFCU Centre.
However, the sheets may not be moving to the complex yet, if at all.
The motion called for the location to be deferred, pending more public consultation on a suitable location.
The motion, from Ward 8 Councillor Gary Kaschak, passed by an 8-2 vote, with Ward 1's Fred Francis and Ward 10's Jim Morrison against it. Fabio Costante of Ward 2 was absent.
The deciding factor in the report appeared to be the cost, with a $525,000 price tag to move the curling sheets from Roseland to one of the community ice rinks at the WFCU Centre. The report also stated that it would cost $12-million to either renovate the Roseland clubhouse or build a standalone facility at Roseland for curling.
Councillors heard multiple delegates on both sides during the three-hour meeting. Representatives from Roseland and the curling community expressed concern about the sport's growth should it no longer be at the club. On the other side, youth hockey leagues and skating clubs were worried about the strain that would have been placed on their ability to have ice time at the WFCU Centre.
The Sun Parlour Female Hockey Association, Riverside Skating Club, and Riverside Minor Hockey Association had representatives urging councillors for a complete deferral of the report. Sun Parlour had begun a petition urging the City to leave the community rinks at the WFCU Centre alone.
The WFCU Centre had been suggested in the report because it has the largest capacity for prime-time ice availability.
Kaschak's motion kept the door open for discussion on moving the curling sheets to another arena within the City, such as the Capri Pizzeria Recreational Complex. Those discussions have yet to be scheduled.
Francis, a previous board chair at Roseland, expressed worry over the club's future should curling be removed. He favoured a standalone facility at Roseland for curling and had suggested the City perform a cost analysis.
*with files from Maureen Revait