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For families, seniors, and young people who live here year-round, the town lacks a critical piece of infrastructure: a modern community centre. Tie growth to recreation. Developers must pay for it. The municipality has failed our children while they are busy appeasing developers. County kids deserve better.
Today, Picton has no free indoor pool, no full-scale gymnasium, and very limited options for after-school programming or fitness activities. In a town of about 3,000 residents — and a County of nearly 26,000 — this gap is striking. A community center must provide free access for all residents.
All this while, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in October 2024, the province’s “tough” cost of living is one of the reasons why his government recently handed promotions to three Progressive Conservative MPPs, topping up their salaries by more than $16,000 a year. The promotions, the premier suggested, are to make up for the “unfair” base salary of $116,000 a year. So while MPP Tyler Allsopp earns $157,350 per year and MP Chris Malette earns $203,100 with robust and secure retirement benefits, paid by taxpayers, County Kids are denied what should be a human right: free access to fitness activities and afterschool programs. Keep this in mind when you vote in future elections.
The Case for an Anchor Facility
Community centres are more than just buildings. They are hubs for physical activity, youth engagement, senior wellness, and social cohesion. A facility with an indoor pool, fitness gym, basketball courts, and racquet sports like squash, tennis, badminton, and pickleball can serve as a year-round gathering place.
For families, such a centre provides affordable after-school programs and safe spaces for children to play. For seniors, it offers low-impact exercise opportunities and social activities to combat isolation. For working-age adults, it provides fitness options without leaving town. And for the County as a whole, it signals an investment in residents — not just in visitors.
The PEFAC Problem
Some will point to the Prince Edward Fitness and Aquatic Centre (PEFAC) as proof that Picton already has a facility. But the reality is that PEFAC is not a true community centre — and never was.
The privately owned building was originally a truck parking garage, retrofitted decades ago into a fitness facility. Its design is awkward, inefficient, and ill-suited for multi-use recreation. The pool, while valuable, is undersized and outdated, and the fitness areas cannot meet the needs of a growing population.
“Yes I agree, it would be great to have a therapy warm pool as well for our seniors and those with disabilities. Family wash rooms/change rooms. I agree PEFAC membership is very expensive it’s much cheaper for me to go to the YMCA in Belleville at $50 a month. I tried the PEFAC group classes but now it’s $15 a class. I am so grateful Ameliasburgh town hall is now offering free Yoga Tuesday nights. Most residents do not live right in Picton, to share classes all around would be great.” – County Resident
What’s more, PEFAC survives only through County subsidies exceeding $80,000 annually, paid for by property taxes. Those funds could be redirected to building or upgrading a true community centre at the Picton fairgrounds or another site, instead of propping up a privately owned facility that was never meant to serve as a full anchor for the community.
Chronic capacity issues have meant denial of opportunities for kids. For two years the County Dolphins Swim Club couldn’t secure a 45-minute dedicated slot for all their swimmers at PEFAC. As a grass-roots community club, the County Dolphins offered a vital program for early and pre- competitive swimmers with a focus on skills development. An appalling situation.
PEFAC charges exorbitant membership fees. Membership should be free for county kids. Even with fees, programming is severely limited for kids, apart from swim lessons.
Review of PEFAC FInancial Statements 2023/24 (link to statements)
⚠️ PEFAC Financial Red Flags
- $75,000 Annual Rent – Paid to private owners for a building PEFAC does not own.
- $596,000 in Leasehold Improvements – Upgrades funded by taxpayers and donors that will be lost if the building is sold.
- Ongoing Taxpayer Subsidy – The County contributes $80,000 annually (10% of PEFAC’s budget), despite PEFAC reporting a $107,000 surplus last year.
- Thin Cash Cushion – Only $174,000 in cash reserves against nearly $900,000 in annual revenue.
- Membership-Heavy Model – 61% of revenue comes from memberships, limiting access for residents who cannot afford fees.
What $80,000 Could Buy Instead
If redirected, the County’s annual subsidy could:
- Upgrade Fairgrounds – Fund resurfaced courts, new lighting, or improved accessibility.
- Seed a New Recreation Hub – $800,000 over 10 years would cover design and planning for a modern community centre.
- Expand Programming – Pay for after-school care, youth sports, or senior fitness classes.
- Invest in Equipment – Purchase modern gym gear, adaptive equipment, or energy-efficient systems.
- Leverage Grants – Use $80,000 as a matching contribution to unlock provincial, federal, or Trillium funding.
What Other Towns Are Doing
Across Ontario, towns of comparable size — or smaller — have invested in proper community centres with pools and gyms:
- Napanee (pop. ~16,000): The Strathcona Paper Centre offers twin ice pads, an indoor walking track, and multipurpose rooms.
- Brighton (pop. ~12,000): The King Edward Park Community Centre provides gymnasium space and organized recreation programs.
- Quinte West (pop. ~44,000): The Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre is a $30-million hub with pools, gyms, and multipurpose programming.
- Cobourg (pop. ~20,000): The Cobourg Community Centre, built in 2011 for $27 million, features twin ice pads, gymnasium space, and community programming.
- Port Hope (pop. ~16,500): The Jack Burger Sports Complex includes a modern aquatic centre, gym, and fitness programming.
Compared to these towns, Picton is lagging badly. Residents are forced to travel to Belleville, Trenton, or Cobourg for programs their own community should provide.
Why Now?
Two trends make the need urgent:
- Growth pressures: With developments like Base31 proposing up to 8,000 new homes, Picton could triple in size. Approving growth without planning for recreation risks creating a community that meets housing targets but fails quality-of-life standards.
- Public health challenges: Rising rates of childhood obesity, diabetes, and mental health issues demand affordable recreation. Community centres are proven, cost-effective prevention tools.
An Action Plan for Picton
Option 1: Upgrade the Existing Fairgrounds Community Centre
Transform the fairgrounds site into a multi-use facility with:
- A six-lane indoor pool.
- A fitness gym and studios for classes.
- A gymnasium with basketball/volleyball courts.
- Racquet sport courts for squash, tennis, badminton, and pickleball.
- Multipurpose rooms for youth and senior programming.
Option 2: New Anchor Facility at Base31 or Another Growth Area
Leverage major development projects. Base31 alone could add 8,000 homes — tripling Picton’s size. Developers profit from growth, but growth also generates demand for recreation. The County should negotiate development charges and community benefits agreements to ensure that a modern community centre is built and partly funded by developers. This is common practice in municipalities like Vaughan and Markham.
Option 3: Regional Collaboration
Coordinate with Quinte West, Belleville, and Hastings County to share programming models, while ensuring Picton secures its own anchor facility.
Funding Models
- Developer Funding (DCs & CBAs): Tie growth to recreation. Developers like Base31 must help fund the facilities their residents will use.
- Grants: Federal and provincial infrastructure programs regularly support aquatic and wellness centres.
- Partnerships: Collaborate with schools, YMCA, or private operators to offset costs.
- Reallocation of Subsidies: Redirect the $80,000+ annual PEFAC subsidy toward capital and operating costs for a new or upgraded facility.
The Call
Picton deserves better than a retrofitted truck garage. Residents deserve the same access to modern, full-service recreation that communities like Cobourg, Port Hope, and Quinte West already enjoy.
The County must negotiate with Base31 and other developers, redirect subsidies from inadequate facilities, and commit to a serious plan for a true community hub. Without it, families, seniors, and youth will continue to look elsewhere for recreation — or go without.
A town without a proper community centre is incomplete. The time to act is now.