The future of a near-century old stadium in Windsor is being examined with the hope of revitalization.
The Greater Essex County District School Board unanimously passed a motion on Tuesday to prepare a report on the status and condition of Windsor Stadium.
The 3,000-capacity stadium located near Jackson Park is currently only utilized by athletic teams at Kennedy Collegiate Institute. Portions of the stadium, such as the original dressing rooms, have been closed off, leaving the structure underutilized.
Shelley Armstrong, the board's superintendent for business and treasurer, said administration is expected to have the report completed by February 2020.
"Obviously [there's] some concern about the use of it and the current condition of it," she said. "Once we provide the report to the board in February, it'll be a decision the trustees need to make and it will have to be dependant on budget and the needs of the board."
The report will include the present use of the stadium, what revenue has been generated, if any, in 2018-2019, maintenance and operating costs for 2018-2019, a condition assessment of existing facilities including any safety issues, a cost estimate to upgrade the facilities (including lighting, washrooms, the concession stand, accessibility, bleachers, new artificial turf), and identification of available funding sources. The report will also contain a board commitment to be open to potential partnerships with user organizations for the operation and maintenance of the facility.
Armstrong said one of the missions of the school board is utilizing its existing facilities for community use.
Windsor’s AKO Fraternity previously attempted to have the stadium renovated in 2016, however, the plan fell through.
-With files from Mark Brown
