Pelham Municipal Heritage Committee

Who Are We?

The Municipal Heritage Committee (MHC) is an advisory committee created to assist the Town of Pelham make decisions on matters relating to the designation of individual properties and heritage conservation districts as well as other historical matters.

The Pelham Municipal Heritage Committee was first formed in 2010 as a volunteer committee under the auspices of the Town of Pelham and is therefore funded and reports to Town Council. All Municipal Heritage Committee assume the duties of Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committees (LACAC).

The MHC is made up of a member of council, a staff member and members of the community with an interest in heritage conservation, an ability to work with the community within a municipal framework, and have the time to accomplish the objectives of the committee.
The MHC has established a partnership with the Pelham Historical Society.

What Do We Do?

Under the guidelines of the Ontario Municipal Heritage Act (1990- amended 2005), the Municipal Heritage Committee must be consulted prior to the designation of property or the creation of Heritage Conservation Districts by Council.

As a resource to the public interested in the designation process, the MHC is working to develop online resources that include information on:

• Designated Properties
• Municipal Heritage Designation Process
• Heritage Building Evaluation Criteria

As part of their mandate, the MHC is currently compiling an inventory of historically significant properties in Pelham.  Through their work in compiling and publishing online this inventory, the MHC hopes to promote awareness and knowledge of Pelham’s built cultural and natural heritage. They will also be consulting with the town on the Heritage Master Plan.

The MHC works and supports the activities of other agencies and organizations to encourage the promotion and marketing of our cultural heritage.

Heritage Master Plan

In October, 2012, the Municipal Heritage Master Plan was adopted by Council.  The Plan is a blueprint that puts heritage resources in the spotlight and demonstrates the benefits of conserving and enhancing them.  It provides a framework for many actions required to conserve, enhance and promote heritage.  This Plan provides a vision of the future in which heritage is an integral part of the municipality’s long term planning policies and its daily actions.

The Heritage Master Plan can be viewed here.

For more information about the Municipal Heritage Committee, please contact Tara Druzina at tdruzina@pelham.ca