Pelham will hold a meeting over $36M community centre

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Pelham town council will hold a special meeting on Monday to vote on whether to go ahead with a $36 million community centre. The town held open houses earlier this month to try to ease the concerns of residents over the controversial project, which is expected to increase property taxes. Residents however have mixed feelings. Some are questioning the need for the facility and say they have not been involved in the project from the start.

The new centre will contain two NHL size ice rinks, two gymnasiums, a walking track and mutli purpose community rooms. The town says consultation has been on-going for years and addresses aging facilities. They say families won’t have to drive out to Welland or St.Catharines to play sports like hockey. The community centre would be built on the corner of Rice road and Regional Road 20.

The town plans to increase taxes by over 3% to pay for part of the complex. Which would equate to an additional $46 increase in property taxes every year for the next 30 years. The town plans to raise the rest of the money from development charges, fundraising and the potential sale of land in east Fonthill.

If voted through construction would begin in late August or early September.