During a special meeting on Monday, April 25, 2016, Pelham Council made the landmark decision – more than 25 years in the making – to approve the construction of the Pelham Community Centre.
“We are encouraged by the community support and excitement for the new Pelham Community Centre and the opportunities this new facility offers our residents and local businesses,” said Mayor Dave Augustyn. “After years of public consultations and Council deliberations, we are thrilled to begin the construction phase of this project.”
Council voted 5:2 in favour of approving the Community Centre, which is the single largest capital project in the Town’s history and one with significant growth and development potential. Set to start a 19-month construction period in late August, the facility will be located in East Fonthill (at Rice Road and Hwy 20) and includes adaptable and multi-purpose community rooms, double gymnasium, indoor walking/running track, double arena, concession area, change rooms and washrooms, community gathering spaces, integration with a public square and full accessibility.
Council approved a $36,204,777 capital budget, and Ball Construction as project manager, Pettroff Partnership Architects Inc. as the design consultants, and InterKom Inc. as the fundraising professionals. In late 2015, Council capped operating costs at $200,000 annually.
Groups like the Pelham Minor Hockey Association, Pelham Panther Basketball, Southern Tier Admirals AAA, Welland Raiders Minor Lacrosse Association, and Niagara Centre Figure Skating Club have already expressed interest for long-term leases for the Pelham Community Centre and entered into Memorandums of Understanding with the Town to negotiate in good faith.
In total, Council heard 17 (and received three) scheduled presentations during the April 25th public meeting at Old Pelham Town Hall in Ridgeville. Representing the voices of thousands of community members, passionate speakers from the local business community, Pelham Seniors Advisory Committee, sports clubs, the Welland/Pelham Chamber of Commerce, the Niagara & Haldimand Building & Construction Trades Council, the Architectural Design Advisory Committee, and residents shared their excitement with Council and ideas about how they intend to use the facility year-round. Residents with reservations about funding and financing were reassured that Council will implement best practices to oversee and monitor the project to ensure it stays on time and on budget. Council is also determined to secure potential Federal and Provincial funding.
In addition to the presentations, Council received 138 community letters and 22 online community engagement comments. (The full meeting agenda is available here for download.)
The Pelham Community Centre will be the place where friends and neighbours come together to celebrate, to compete, to exercise, to perform, to learn, to play, to discuss, and to receive services. It promises to serve residents of all ages and abilities to gather and enjoy a wide-variety of recreational, social, health and community activities for many, many years.
To learn more, visit pelham.ca/community-centre.
For more information, please contact:
Dave Augustyn, Mayor
(905) 892-2607 ext. 317
Darren Ottaway, Chief Administrative Officer
(905) 892-2607 ext. 318
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