Ahead of budget deliberations, Wellesley council approves 2026 fees and charges bylaw

Galen Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

In preparation for the start of 2026 budget deliberations on Nov. 27, Wellesley council set the township’s schedule of fees and charges for 2026, which includes a number of cost reductions to bring rates more in line with those charged by other municipalities and encourage use of township facilities.

At its Nov. 25 meeting, Wellesley council reviewed township staff’s proposed changes to fees and charges for next year. Among those changes is a reduction to daily rental rates for all community centres in the township except the Bill Gies Recreation Centre from $513 this year to $500 next year, as well as a reduction to the daily rental rate for the Bill Gies Recreation Centre community centre or gym from $667 to $550.

“That rate (for the Bill Gies Recreation Centre) is quite a bit higher than our other community centre rates; that’s why that one was recommended to be brought down, to be a little more comparable to some of our other facilities and to try and rent it out a little more,” Wellesley director of recreation Danny Roth said.

“ … Every year, we’ve been increasing (the rental rates for the other community centres) by the cost of living – one per cent, two per cent, whatever it’s been – and we’ve just noticed that those rates are starting to get up there, a little higher than our comparators. Yes, it’s not a big decrease down to the $500, but it does keep them a little more in line.”

Coun. Claude Hergott questioned whether a $13-per-day reduction to the rental rates of community centres across the township would do anything to encourage rentals, and instead suggested council consider reducing rates by as much as $50 per day for 2026.

Speaking to his suggestion, Coun. Derek Brick asked township staff to bring back a report on facility usage and proposed rates so council would have more context before deciding to reduce the community centre rental rate further.

Other changes approved as part of next year’s fees and charges bylaw include:

• A new fee of $250/hr to have a fire crew on standby for large events;

• A new fee for fire extinguisher refills and training at $40 per unit;

• New fees of $575 for a large fire lock box and $400 for a medium fire lock box at local businesses, churches, organizations etc. that would contain onsite fire plans and keys the fire department would have access to in the event of a fire;

• A new fee of $60 per 1,000 gallons for fire reservoir refilling;

• No change to the prime ice rental rate, but a decrease to the minor sports discount from 35 per cent to 33 per cent;

• A decrease to the rental rate for arena floors (no ice) from $724 to $700;

• An increase to the daily rental rate for the Linwood Community Centre small hall (no kitchen) from $196 to $201;

• A change in the range for drop-in program fees from $0-20 to $2-20;

• A decrease in daily courtyard rental rates from $120 with no hall rental to $100, and $75 with a hall rental to $50;

• An increase to daily picnic shelter rental rates from $64 to $75, and the addition of a half-day rental costing $50;

• Dropping the lost-key charge from $50 to $25; and

• Increases to the advertising rates for the St. Clements Arena wall boards from $225 to $300, and from $375 to $500 for advertising on the wall boards at the Bill Gies Recreation Centre.