A small town outside Detroit, Mich. is the surprising home to a big piece of Michigan sports history. The historic Windsor Arena in Windsor, Canada. was built in 1924, and has been home to the likes of the Detroit Red Wings, formerly known as Detroit Cougars. The Toronto St. Pats played their last game in this arena, before eventually re-branding as the Toronto Maple Leafs. And, the local team Windsor Spitfires played there until 2008. Now the arena, one of the oldest of it’s kind in the country, is facing demolition.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens announced this week that the City Council had approved the Windsor Arena for private residential development.
“I know it’s a high-value piece of property in downtown Windsor. But there have been viable options over the years to restore it to a sports arena that haven’t been taken up by the city for one reason or another,” said Tammy Dewhirst, chair of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario — Windsor-Essex branch.
Many residents and sports fans agree with Dewhirst, voicing concerns that demolishing the historic Windsor Arena will mean losing a part of the town’s history and heritage, not to mention a piece of Michigan and Canada's sports history.
There is an undeniable need for new housing development in Windsor, but Dewhirst told The Windsor Star that she and her organization would like to see the arena preserved as a historic site. It is unclear how the City Council and the Architectural Conservancy will move forward, as the City Council is already seeking interest from residential developers; however, the Spencer/Butcher companies reportedly submitted a proposal to revitalize the arena and surrounding properties, maintaining the land as a sports and entertainment complex.
Even with this proposal, Mayor Dilkens said he does not expect future proposals to include keeping the structure.
Windsor’s community could take a play out of Congress’s book if they are interested in preserving the arena. Just last summer Congress began the work to preserve 18 college football stadiums across the country that have historic significance including: Camp Randall in Madison, Wis. (1917), Husky Stadium in Seattle, Wash. (1920) and The Yale Bowl, Hartford, Conn. (1914).
The committee released a statement expressing their wish to maintain, “the integrity of these treasured venues … while enhancing their capabilities."
The same could be said of the historic Windsor Arena. Dewhisrt’s dreams of historic preservation could pave the way for enhancements to be made to the current structure, giving the community a new sports and entertainment complex. Or, the City Council’s residential plans could win out.
In a recent ‘Reader Letter’ in The Windsor Star, one community member wrote: “They’ve driven a nail in the coffin of downtown. An empty downtown will be the mayor’s legacy.”
