A request for a female players’ dressing room was among 10 to town council during its budget wish-list open house Monday.
The kickoff to a 2015 budget season drew town council’s new municipal grants committee and the Pelham Library Board.
It brought requests from Carriage Hill condominium owners group for a Pelham Street sewer project and from Niagara Central Airport for a septic system.
After waiting for more than two hours, Samantha Barnes, on behalf of Pelham Minor Hockey Association, asked for a female hockey players’ dressing room at the Pelham Arena.
The seven-year hockey player said female players on mixed teams are limited to a three-person room. They often dress in the hallway.
It creates an uncomfortable situation not found in other arenas in which Pelham teams play, she said.
James Federico, one of three members on a new municipal grants committee, said he wore a Grinch hat and a Santa hat.
The committee reviewed 16 grant bids. It recommended 11 in part or full while keeping the permissive budget to $38,200, the same as 2014.
It turned down The Greater Niagara Model Railroad Engineers, Welland Historical Museum, Hospice Niagara, United Way of South Niagara and Julien School.
It recommended part of amounts sought by Pelham Cares Inc., Fonthill and District Kinettes, Kinsmen Club of Fonthill and District, and, Pelham Seniors Citizens Association.
The committee endorsed 100% of requests from the Lions Club of Fenwick, Fonthill Lions Club, Fonthill Bandshell Concerts, Pelham Art Festival, Women’s Place of South Niagara Inc., Royal Canadian Legion Branch 613 and In the Orchard.
Library board chair Maxine Gaylor said Pelham library operated at a crisis level through 2014 with reduced staffing and services.
She urged a 4% increase in the library’s funding from the town to maintain its full level of service. Without it the library will have to cut hours of operation at both Fonthill and Maple Acre in Fenwick.
If cuts are too deep, it will have to close Maple Acre.
She called libraries the most democratic of services. They are open to everyone. By forcing a reduction, council would go against its own cultural master plan.
She said, with a budget of $900,000, the library costs about $45 per citizen annually: the price of two hard-covered books.
Later in the evening, Gary Chambers of the Maple Acre Revitalization Committee urged council to include funds for an architectural design for a replacement addition to Fenwick’s Maple Acre Library.
Bea Clark of Pelham Active Transportation Committee asked councillors to include $25,000 to $50,000 for an active transportation master plan.
It would be a 20-year plan to link the neighbourhoods, communities and villages of Pelham by sidewalks, trails and cycling systems.
With a plan in place, Pelham could take advantage of provincial, federal and private funding as it became available, she said.
Trish Rybski of the Thorold-Fonthill High School time capsule restoration group sought the town’s help to restore a time capsule container. It is in front of the former high school, now Glynn A. Green Public School.
The container, originally designed to resemble the 1967 Centennial flag, has deteriorated. For $12,000, it could be restored in time for the country’s 150th anniversary in 2017.
Heritage Pelham had a historical request. Mark Shoalts asked for $12,500 for a series of small projects including 10 heritage plaques to put on designated buildings.
Harland Young of the Carriage Hill condominium complex on Pelham Street wants the town’s help to wade out of a wet problem.
During heavy rains, storm water from Pelham Street and Hurricane Road floods around and into the complex. The current drainage system is inadequate to handle runoff.
The condominium group asked the town to include the installation of storm sewers along Hurricane Road and Pelham Street in the 2015 budget.
It wants the process started next year rather than two or three years down the road as is planned now.
The Niagara Central Airport has its water problems: a leaky hangar roof and a sceptic system designed for Second World War use.
Manager David Devine gave town council a detailed outline of the Pelham airport’s $4.5 million annual economic benefit to the area.
He said the airport commission will ask its owners -- Pelham, Welland, Wainfleet and Port Colborne -- for $250,000 for the roof and sceptic system. Pelham’s share would be about $45,000.
He urged council to support the project.
Town councillors Monday received the requests and will consider them during 2015 budget talks over the next few weeks.
