Council Highlights for July 8, 2026

Council Highlights for July 8, 2026

The Town of Pelham's regular council meeting was held on Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. in the Council Chambers at the Pelham Municipal Building at 20 Pelham Town Hall. 

Designation of Old Pelham Town Hall Under the Ontario Heritage Act

Council received report 2026-0146 “Designation of Old Pelham Town Hall Under the Ontario Heritage Act” and directed staff to proceed with designating the property. Old Pelham Town Hall was constructed in 1888 to serve as a town hall building. It is believed that the first council meeting in that building took place the following year, on Saturday, December 15, 1888. The site also features two installations that memorialize sacrifices made during WW1: a cenotaph commissioned in 1920 and a German trench mortar captured in 1918 by the Canadian Army during a raid at Neuville Vitasse.

Design Criteria and Engineering Standards

Council received report 2026-0149 “Design Criteria and Engineering Standards” and endorsed the use of the updated Municipal Engineering Design Manual as the governing framework for municipal infrastructure design, construction, and approval processes within the Town of Pelham. The new standards build on what worked well in the 2017 edition and address areas for strengthening the design requirements for municipal infrastructure and development-related projects.

Building Permit Fee Study – Proposed Fee Changes

Council received report 2026-0148 “Building Permit Fee Study – Proposed Fee Changes,” for information; and approved the fee schedule based on the recommendations prepared by Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. The proposed new building permit fee schedule will come into effect on January 1, 2027.

Peace Pole in Peace Park

The Town of Pelham received a presentation from Frank Adamson, President of the Rotary Club of Fonthill, proposing the installation of a Peace Pole in Peace Park. Peace Poles are monuments that display the message “May Peace Prevail On Earth” and are designed to inspire unity. Town Council directed staff to review the possibility of planting a Peace Pole in Peace Park and return with a staff report by September 16, 2026.

G.L. Klager Park Trail Development

Council received report 2026-0138 “G.L. Klager Park Trail Development”, for information and approved the proposed G.L. Klager Park trail for development in 2026. The proposed trail will include approximately 350m of a 1.85m-wide accessible pathway along the top of the valley slope, connecting to the Steve Bauer Trail, as well as an additional small forest loop in the same area. The $170,000 project cost will be funded from the Town of Pelham Parks Reserve, with the Town investigating options to collaborate with the NPCA to reduce project costs.

Station Street Parking Lot Proposal

Council received report 2026-0147 “Station Street Parking Lot Proposal,” for information and approved staff to move forward with funding the Station Street Parking Lot. This project will provide approximately 39 new public parking spaces in Downtown Fonthill.  The proposed parking at this site will support many different groups, including patrols to Fonthill businesses, visitors to community events in Peace Park, users of the Steve Bauer Trail, and guardians accessing St. Alexander’s Elementary School. The Station Street Parking lot is estimated to cost $303,753.60, including design and construction, and will be funded with the surplus of the capital project RD-02-2026.

MCC Parking Lot Design Build Project

Council received report 2026-0145 “MCC Parking Lot Design Build Project,” for information and directed staff to proceed with a design assignment in the amount of $80,000 to complete the parking lot design and prepare tender documents, enabling the Town to have a shovel-ready project in place. This decision follows several years of staff reports on the MCC adjacent lands. Most recently, in November 2025, Council red circled a design-build parking lot project pending the sale of the south surplus property.  The design for this parking lot project, which will result in an estimated 74 additional parking spaces, will be funded by the Roads Reserve.

Leah Letford, Manager of Communications and Government Relations | 905-980-6653 | lletford@pelham.ca