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CTV News
9 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
Centre Wellington Council removes Elora BIA board of management, citing 1992 bylaw
Despite pleas for collaboration, council for the Township of Centre Wellington Council rescinded the appointment of directors to the Elora Business Improvement Area (BIA) Board of Management. At a township meeting on June 16, councillors were told there had been an error when the latest BIA board was installed. In a report, township staff cited a bylaw from 1992 that states the BIA board can only have four members appointed by council, one of which must be a member of council. The most recent iteration of the board included six members and Councillor Kim Jefferson. In the past, other boards have also surpassed the membership permitted in the bylaw, but nothing was done to correct the issue. 'The record is clear, council has appointed more than three business members to the Elora BIA for well over a decade,' BIA member Catherine Daultrey said while delegating to council. 'This isn't an anomaly, it's custom and convention. These were formal appointments by council, signed by the mayor and clerk. This board was not self-installed, it was appointed, approved and operating in line with past practice.' The chair of the BIA, Erika Montero, said the oversized board was just one issue BIA members had uncovered, along with concerns about a previous lack of public meetings and general transparency. 'We did not create this situation, we inherited it,' Montero said. 'Now, having worked to correct it, we are being punished for it.' 'This is not just an administrative reset, it's a political move to silence a squeaky wheel and a board that believes in transparency, sustainability, a local voice and protecting the soul of this community,' Montero claimed. The BIA members also requested council update the current bylaw to allow the BIA board to consist of more members. Instead, council passed a bylaw to dissolve the board and appointed a new interim board consisting of Centre Wellington's CAO Dan Wilson, Managing Director of Corporate Services and Treasurer Adam McNabb, Municipal Clerk Kerri O'Kane and Mayor Shawn Watters. The newly passed bylaw stated the township will help the new interim board call an Annual General Meeting, potentially within the next few weeks, so a new board can be elected. Wilson said members of the former board can run for re-election. The township also said this is not an issue that is unique to the Elora BIA and staff will work with the Fergus BIA to bring them into compliance as well.
CTV News
29-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Visitors will soon have to pay for parking in Elora
People visiting Elora will soon have to pay to park downtown. During a Township of Centre Wellington council meeting this week, councillors received a report on a potential paid parking program. 'We do have high utilization rates of our parking spots, especially in Elora,' Dan Wilson, Centre Wellington's Chief Administrative Officer, said. 'This does lead to a number of challenges: difficulty finding parking, increased congestion, reduced accessibility, heightened illegal parking, negative perceptions about the town and tourism, economic setbacks for local businesses and various environmental impacts.' Currently, drivers can park in downtown Elora for three hours for free. Streets away from the downtown area also longer term, 24-hour parking. The community also has several municipal parking lots. The paid parking proposal divided downtown Elora into two areas: Zone 1: paid parking with a three-hour time limit Zone 2: paid parking for up to 24 hours Zone 1 included Metcalfe Street, Mill Street, Price Street, Church Street and MacDonald Square. Proposed Parking Payment Zones, Elora A map of proposed parking payment zones in Elora. (Courtesy: Township of Centre Wellington) 'One interesting comment from our parking enforcers: tourists come to town, especially in Elora, and they ask where they can pay for parking and get a little uncomfortable when they are told parking is free, because they expect to pay and feel more comfortable if they've paid for their spot,' Wilson told council. Wilson said feedback was collected via a survey. Three options were provided to respondents: the first option would have maintained the status quo, the second option required all drivers to pay for downtown parking and the third option required only visitors to pay for parking downtown. Wilson said 66 per cent of survey respondents supported the third option. Council approved a motion to move forward with the third option and authorize staff to begin working with a contractor to explore implementation options, proposed fees and draft a bylaw. Wilson did not expect the change would be fully implemented before the fall. What does it mean for people who live or work in Elora? Once the program is up and running, Centre Wellington Township residents will need to register their vehicles to avoid charges when parking downtown. They will still need to adhere to the posted time limits, but they will not be required to pay to park as long as they have completed the registration process. Meanwhile people who park downtown for work or visit frequently will have the option of purchasing a parking permit. The proposed price for the permit was $125.
