A tale of two arenas: Downtown revitalization brings up old debate about Windsor Arena

The year was 2008. The Windsor Spitfires were leaving Windsor Arena to move into the newly completed $71-million WFCU Centre, and one Windsor resident had a dire warning.

"I can't find one person who can make a business case for putting the arena where it is," wrote Brian Lazarus in a letter published by the Windsor Star. "An empty downtown will be the mayor's legacy."

More than 15 years later, problems in the core have resulted in city council committing to a downtown revitalization plan, and many questions remain about the fate of Windsor Arena — as does an old debate about the location of the WFCU Centre.

Lazarus wrote another letter to the editor earlier this month, essentially saying "I told you so."

"I felt that abandoning the downtown and putting an arena in a virtually inaccessible location on the far east side would draw people away from going downtown, instead of bringing them downtown for events," Lazarus told CBC Windsor.

"I wish I was wrong. However, at the current time, there's no real draw to go downtown... There's no real reason I can think of — myself, my friends — why we would ever want to go downtown now."

Private interest in Windsor Arena continues

Windsor Arena — colloquially known as The Barn — never recovered from the departure of the Spitfires. The 100-year-old venue served the University of Windsor Lancers hockey team for a few years, then closed its doors to the public in 2014.

At one point, the building was being used for salt storage. There's been talk of demolition.

There's also been talk of a private interest taking over the city-owned site, and returning it to use as a sports and entertainment venue.

Among the delegations who spoke at council's May 13 meeting on the downtown revitalization plan was Greg Spencer, CEO of Spencer//Butcher Group of Companies — who offered to take over Windsor Arena.

"To be clear, Spencer//Butcher Group would commit the necessary investment, capital dollars, and resources to restore this arena — at our sole expense," Spencer told council.

"Furthermore, Spencer//Butcher Group would commit to operating the facility as a business unit — at our sole expense."

Spencer//Butcher Group's concept repackages a previous proposal by the Windsor Express to turn The Barn into the basketball team's home court. The city said no to that idea in 2021.

Spencer later told CBC Windsor that some costs — such as possible environmental remediation — would need to be negotiated.

"(The plan) would encompass the original Windsor Arena — The Barn — and the adjacent properties, to revitalize that area as a home for the Windsor Express, and also as a multi-use venue for sporting and concerts," Spencer said. "That's the vision."

City's plans for Windsor Arena undetermined

A response from the city on the latest suggestion for Windsor Arena hasn't been forthcoming.

Mayor Drew Dilkens has disclosed that Windsor Arena is on the list of municipal properties up for sale and redevelopment as part of the city's housing plan.

And Windsor's downtown city councillor, Renaldo Agostino, says he wants to see more details from Spencer — such as a fully formed proposal with costing, that Spencer has yet to submit.

"I think we would like to see the proposal. Like, we really haven't seen anything concrete in front of us," Agostino told CBC Windsor.

Asked if he thinks it was an error to locate the WFCU Centre so far away from the city core, Agostino was diplomatic. "That's hard for me to answer. Some people will tell you it's a mistake. Some people will tell you it's not."

"Obviously, we can't cry over spilled milk. That decision was made, regardless. We have to work with the assets that we have now."

WFCU Centre's location was 'huge mistake,' says former MLSE CEO

But Richard Peddie, the former CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, who oversaw such major sports venues as the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre), Maple Leaf Gardens and the Air Canada Centre (Scotiabank Arena), did not mince words.

"I thought it was a huge mistake, right from the start, " Peddie told CBC Windsor.

"I can remember the first time I went (to the WFCU Centre)... I'm driving along and I cursed and I said, 'Where the blank did they put this?' I was quite shocked about where they put it."

The problem, according to Peddie, is the WFCU Centre's lack of centrality and "walkabilty." Its distance does not encourage pedestrian traffic, and Peddie doesn't believe Windsor's bus service is robust enough to bring visitors on foot.

"There's just no access. It's cars, cars, cars," Peddie said.

Peddie recalled then-mayor Eddie Francis suggesting that completion of the WFCU Centre would lead to surrounding properties being developed as restaurant, hotels and other hospitality businesses.

"How's that worked out so far? 'If you build it, they will come,'" Peddie scoffed. "If you build it in the right place, they will come. But that's the wrong place."

To date, there are no businesses anywhere on McHugh Street leading to and from the WFCU Centre. Condo developments dominate the area.

Can Windsor Arena be viable again?

Meanwhile, Windsor Arena remains in disuse and creeping disrepair. As of Monday, a homeless individual occupied one of the building's former entrances.

In the building's early years, in the 1920s, it hosted games by the Detroit Cougars against other original NHL teams.

"That's our interest in it. To bring it back to its former glory," said Spencer, whose grandfather owned Windsor Arena in the 1940s and 1950s.

"You have to keep something in the downtown to keep them vibrant. The facility we have on the east end is wonderful, it's a great facility. I'm not going back in time to change anything that's happened... We just want to do something with an asset that's deteriorating."