Windsor city councillors voted to amend the heritage designation of Roseland Golf Course.
The move will remove the parking lot and clubhouse from the designation facilitating the demolition of the existing clubhouse building and providing lands for potential development.
"The motion... definitely says that the clubhouse has no contextual value in terms of the designation of the property, nor does the parking lot," said Councillor Jo-Anne Gignac.
Many residents spoke against the move during the council meeting hoping to maintain the current footprint of the designated land to include the club house and the parking lot.
"We feel like we've been betrayed. I mean, it's just a little piece of property, look at all the land, we've got lots of land, if it's housing that you want go ahead," said area resident Silvio Barresi.
The City of Windsor identified part of the Roseland Golf Course parking lot as a parcel of land available for residential development as part of the Housing Solutions Made for Windsor Initiative.
With the heritage designation changed council can demolish the clubhouse to make room for a new one and start the Expression of Interest process for potential developments.
"If housing doesn't make sense here if something comes back and it's a monster, it's not viable, we're not trying to force anything," said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens. "If it doesn't fit, you have my commitment, that I will be the first to hit the eject button."
Councillors Fred Francis, Fabio Costante and Angelo Marignani voted against the motion to change the designation.
"I don't know what the future holds but what I know is that the people don't want this and I represent the people, I'm not here to tell the people that they're wrong and I'm right," said Francis.
The current clubhouse could be demolished as early as November of this year.
