This homelessness advocate wants to see Roseland condo proceeds benefit housing

After a City of Windsor plan was announced last week to sell the former Roseland curling club for development as condos, one advocate says she's not against the plan but doesn't want it confused for affordable housing.

Christine Wilson-Furlonger is the director ofStreet Help, an organization that provides support and hot meals in Windsor's downtown.

I'm not opposed to it," she said "I think it's money that's going to go back into the city with the sale of these 38 condos. Why can't we take that money down there and invest in affordable housing for the homeless?

"I think that's the goal, because we don't want to mix up 38 condos being built and sold with the possibility of acquiring affordable housing."

Two downtown lots and the former W.D. Lowe school are also slated for development as part of a plan to build more homes, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens announced on Friday.

"Our community is growing and evolving," Dilkens said. "Now, during Windsor'sincredible growth trajectory, what'struly important is how we grow, how council leads us through that growth and how our partners support us in combating this national housing crisis."

The city got anarchitecturefirm to develop a concept plan for the site featuring38 one- and two-bedroom condo units.

For the two downtown lots, Wilson-Furlongersays she does think they should be developed into affordable housing.

Terry Fink is one of the chairs of the Committee to Save Curling, a collection of residents advocating for the restoration of the Roseland curling rink.

He says he supports looking at the development as an option but says the committee and community have never been given options.

"We were we were a little shocked at the at the announcement, quite frankly, and disappointed because we went through an extensive process with [city council] and it really at no time was it divulged that there could be a plan for putting a condominium building on the site," Fink said.

"This did catch us off guard to think that well, why weren't why weren't we told? ...We had heard rumours, but nobody could ever tell us that they were true rumours or they were just rumours. And so we went along with good faith and integrity so it is a bit of a shock and it's a bit of a negative surprise to us."

Dilkens told reporters last week the board of Roseland had been considering redevelopment of the property for some time.

Fink said a public-private partnership for a curling andhousing development could have been considered, and would have suggested that had they known about the possibility.

Late last year, council opted to move curlingfrom Roseland to the Capri Pizzeria Complex this fall.

Bill Cunningham is another local curler who has spoke out about the Roseland facility changes. He says there are better uses for the land.

"I don't think that's good value for the public's money and I think that tearing this down before that,if they'd done the maintenance that they were supposed to be doing out here in the past years, they could have had this place," Cunningham said.

"I think it's a real shame that what they're doing here, but they've made a conscious decision that they want the curling out and they want it for other uses in it. That decision was made a long time ago."

Public consultation on the Roseland project begins March 7 and there is also an online survey.