Part 2: How Council Moved Forward on Delhi Park, Wellington Town Hall, and Drake Devonshire— 08/25/2026

Prince Edward County Council’s August 25 meeting brought several issues down to individual councillors, community representatives and the areas most directly affected. The strongest discussion centred on Delhi Park in Picton, while Wellington residents heard decisions on both the Town Hall and Drake Devonshire. Council also dealt with the Wellington Dukes agreement and the County’s financial statements, making this a meeting where several long-running files moved forward.

© PEC Council (YouTube)

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Picton: Council Chooses More Discussion on Delhi Park

The biggest divide surrounded the six proposed pickleball courts at Delhi Park. Councillor Phil St-Jean defended the recreational history of the site during questions to speakers, pointing to its history as the Angus LeHoop Delhi Athletic Field and noting that the proposed courts would occupy about 1.3 per cent of the overall park. Later, St-Jean supported the idea of bringing people together for further discussion, explaining that the process could give residents and user groups an opportunity to better understand the project and potentially bring concerns back to council.

Councillor Brad Nieman brought forward the resolution that triggered the broader discussion, while Councillor Bill Roberts, who seconded it, said the amended approach provided useful clarity and a place for the different sides to start talking to one another. Councillor Roy Pennell questioned whether Delhi Park was definitely the right location, saying council should be confident before moving ahead with something that could be difficult to reverse later. Councillor Janice Maynard, meanwhile, focused on the practical funding consequences. She questioned whether reopening discussion around the site could make it harder for staff to continue applying for grants when those applications were based on a defined project and location.

That concern became important when Parks and Recreation Director Lisa Severson confirmed that the County had applied for a $300,000 matching grant and that Prince Edward Pickleball had also pursued funding connected specifically to Delhi Park. Severson said uncertainty around the location could make her hesitant to pursue further grants until the consultation was completed. Council nevertheless approved the amended motion and then the main motion as amended, meaning the next step is additional stakeholder engagement rather than immediately abandoning or relocating the six-court Delhi Park plan.

Wellington: Town Hall Transfer Takes Another Step

The mood was much more unified when council turned to Wellington Town Hall. After the Wellington Town Hall Stewardship Association demonstrated that it had met the conditions of its memorandum of understanding, council supported moving ahead with the preparatory work required for a future land transfer. Councillor Janice Maynard sought confirmation that council would still see the final details before the transfer took place, and Severson confirmed that the matter would return to the new council, likely in January 2027.

Several councillors who had previously expressed reservations acknowledged the association’s progress. Councillor Phil St-Jean congratulated the group and said he would support the proposal after previously having concerns for other reasons. Another councillor noted having originally favoured a different direction but praised the group for following through on what it had promised. Mayor Steve Ferguson said the project could become a model for repurposing other municipal buildings in Prince Edward County. Council then approved the motion.

Wellington: Drake Heritage Permit Gets Council Approval

© The Drake Hotel

The Drake Devonshire heritage permit produced a more complicated discussion. Councillor John Hirsch raised concerns about the heritage review process and the limited time available under the Ontario Heritage Act. Hirsch said the County needs a clearer process for future applications in the Wellington Heritage Conservation District and stressed that the current decision should not become a precedent. Despite those concerns, he indicated that he expected the permit to be approved.

Council ultimately voted in favour of the heritage permit. It then reconsidered the decision to incorporate a change allowing additional windows on the building’s north facade at the discretion of the Director of Development Services, and the amended main motion also carried. Councillor Phil St-Jean separately asked about traffic and deliveries around the project, while staff confirmed that meetings with nearby stakeholders were planned for September.

What This Means for the Locals

For Picton residents, the Delhi Park decision means the pickleball project remains active, but more conversation is coming before the issue is settled. People who use the park for gardening, walking, nature, recreation and community events, along with pickleball supporters, will have another opportunity to discuss the existing plans. The funding question will also matter because some grant applications are already connected to the Delhi Park location.

For Wellington residents, two significant files moved forward. The Town Hall stewardship proposal is progressing toward a possible transfer in 2027, although final approval is still required. The Drake Devonshire heritage permit has now been approved, with flexibility for additional north-facing windows and further work continuing around construction-related issues with nearby stakeholders.

County-wide, the meeting also confirmed the updated agreement supporting the Wellington Dukes at the community centre and approved the County’s 2025 financial statements. The overall picture from the evening was one of several major files moving forward, but with Delhi Park still requiring more community discussion before residents have a clearer picture of what happens next.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 4:23:25. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.