During their July 13 meeting, Meaford council was presented with a report from staff which sought direction from council as municipal staff begin to prepare the 2027 to 2031 capital program for municipal facilities.
“Staff have started working on the 2027 to 2031 capital program and are seeking direction on what should be included for some of the major facilities owned and operated by the Municipality. The facilities looked at in this report include the three administration centres (15/21 Trowbridge Street West and the 7th Line), Blue Dolphin Pool, and the Meaford and St. Vincent Community Centre and Arena (MSVCCA),” staff advised in their report.
In the report, staff noted that the facilities had $12.6 million in outstanding capital needs as of 2024, and they recommended two options for council to consider. The first option would maintain the status quo, while the second option would give direction to staff to explore the future development of a multi-use facility.
Regarding the first option to maintain status quo, staff explained that, “Under this option staff will include the $12.6 million as outlined in the FCIs for the five facilities, in the most appropriate year to ensure these facilities stay open and operable. These projects include items like roof replacements, windows/doors, and parking lots. The $12.6 million will be adjusted for inflation through each annual budget process to ensure funding is sufficient to complete the works.”
Staff noted that the status quo option would carry lower capital costs than the second option and would maintain current levels of service, with “minimal impact on the operating budget”. Staff also noted that, after five years, in spite of spending $12.6 million, the municipality would still have ageing facilities, noting that the Meaford & St. Vincent Community Centre will be 55 years old in 2031, and the Blue Dolphin swimming pool will be 66 years old.
The second option would see staff include $200,000 of funding in the 2027 capital budget that would be used to explore the potential of building a multi-use facility that would include administration offices, council chamber, an indoor pool, ice surface, community centre/meeting rooms, and other potential services like a gymnasium or walking track.
Staff advised that the study would include developing a needs assessment that would include public and council outreach to gather input regarding community needs. As well, the study would include concept development of potential locations, and the amenities and services that could be included in a multi-use facility. The development of a funding strategy would include the exploration of grant funding opportunities, and the impact on the municipality’s reserve funds, development charges, and long-term debt.
It is unknown how much a multi-use facility would cost, though staff estimated $60-80 million during discussion with council.
The newest of the facilities included in the report, the 7th Line building that houses Meaford’s council chamber, is more than 30 years old; the oldest, the former library building, now used for municipal administration, is 91 years old.
A report presented to council in April 2022 estimated that the arena alone required renovation and rehabilitation that would cost $12 million. A second report presented at the same meeting in 2022 suggested that the Blue Dolphin swimming pool rehabilitation could cost $1.5 million.
“It is probably the most important discussion we may have in our term,” Mayor Ross Kentner told council during the July 13 meeting.
Some members of council were reluctant to tackle the issue given the few months remaining in the current term of council, and the significant funding that would be required given the options available, suggesting the issue should be a priority for the next term of council.
“As far as direction today, I think sitting here that if we tell staff to maintain the status quo, this major subject matter will definitely be in front of the new council,” Councillor Tony Bell said.
Bell noted that the “needs and desires of the community” exceed the funding available to the municipality.
Other members of council agreed that the future of municipal facilities should be a topic for the next term of council to tackle, however staff explained that a decision made by the current council would not burden the next term of council as they could opt to not include the funding for the exploration of a multi-use facility during the 2027 budget deliberations. Staff suggested that a decision by the current council would give the next council a starting point.
Mayor Ross Kentner suggested to council that the municipal administration facilities and recreation facilities could be two projects, not one, and he also suggested that Meaford’s boundaries in the future might not be what they are today.
“This is coming from someone who has lived in Meaford since 1956,” Kentner told council. “I see two projects, I would divide recreation, which is multi-faceted, and administration, I would divide those into two projects.”
As for the future of Meaford’s boundaries, Kentner is not optimistic.
“I regret to inform you that I do not have a lot of confidence that our boundaries will always be what they are today,” Kentner suggested. “I think the Ford government is likely going to change things before it is done, and we may be either a much smaller municipality than we are now, or part of a great big amalgamation.”
Ultimately, after feeling comfortable that a decision by the current council would not unfairly bind the next term of council to anything, council opted to give initial approval to the second option proposed by staff, to explore a multi-use facility, with a 5-2 vote, with councillors Greenfield and Bell voting against.
