Demolition of the former clubhouse at Windsor's Roseland Golf Club has begun, marking the end of an era for the South Windsor amenity and paving the way for a new golf clubhouse and private housing development. The building, which had been closed to the public since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, was taken down this week to make room for a smaller, modern facility and residential units.
New Clubhouse and Housing Plans
Ward 1 Coun. Fred Francis, who represents the neighbourhood and sits on the golf club's board, stated that the demolition was necessary. "It's time. That building needed to come down," he said on Thursday. "The club's in a financial position right now to do something like this, whereas, in the past, it wasn't." Francis emphasized that golfers and customers have been requesting modern amenities, including a contemporary patio experience. "What we've heard from our golfers and our customers is, they want modern amenities. They want a modern patio experience, and they want to be able to enjoy the golf experience in a newer, modern building. I'm sure that's what we'll give them."
Background of the Development
In early 2024, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens announced that the Roseland clubhouse footprint and part of the golf course parking lot would be included in the city's Housing Solutions Made for Windsor plan. This initiative offers city-owned land for private residential development to spur housing construction. Later that year, Dilkens shared architectural designs for a high-end, 38-unit condo building, suggesting a similar project could be built on the Roseland property. More details about the development will be released on Friday during a news conference with Dilkens and representatives from Valente Development Corporation and Bear Construction and Engineering Inc.
Cost and Timeline
The demolition and site preparation, including redistributing utilities, cost the city over $2.5 million. This amount does not include site servicing for the new housing development. The municipally owned golf course will remain open during the demolition and construction phases. A consultant hired by Roseland's board previously proposed a new clubhouse of approximately 5,500 square feet, significantly smaller than the original 60,000-square-foot building. The new facility is expected to feature a covered outdoor patio and grab-and-go food and drink services, but no indoor event space.
Relocation of Curling Activities
The Roseland clubhouse, built in the late 1970s, also housed Windsor's curling community until 2024, when city council permanently relocated curling to the Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex. However, curlers were displaced again last year to accommodate young ice users following an April 2025 fire at the WFCU Centre. Ward 8 Coun. Gary Kaschak, chair of Roseland's board of directors, explained the decision to scale back: "We were in the banquet business, and we were in the wedding business, and we decided to scale back." The new clubhouse will focus on serving golfers rather than hosting large events.
