Windsor Express basketball at Barn possible

Windsor's erstwhile old hockey rink, affectionately known as the Barn, could become a basketball venue.

Coun. Alan Halberstadt said it's an idea worth looking at, now that the plan is to stop putting ice in Windsor Arena.

"Are we just mothballing it or perhaps could the Windsor Express go in there? I know they've taken a look at it," he said. "Perhaps we could make use of the Barn, maybe not with ice, but some other events while we wait for something else to happen."

A local couple is still interested in converting the building to a market.

In the meantime, a committee will be set up to determine what type of celebration should be held to recognize the formal closure of the Barn.

Suggestions included tying it to the NHL's upcoming Winter Classic, or the International Children's Games.

"The committee will be charged with bringing a recommendation to council on that, and then we'll look at what the closing event might cost the city," said chief administrative officer Helga Reidel.

The Barn was built in 1924, and is one of the oldest arenas in North America.