It was a blustery Tuesday in early November when onlookers noticed some unusual swaying in the rebuilt arches above Pelham Town Square, west of Town Hall. The short section of roadway underneath was hastily shut to vehicles and pedestrians while Town staff inspected the structure.
The previous arches, intended for only one season’s use in 2012, lasted nearly seven years. They were comprised primarily of plywood, and blew down in a windstorm in February 2019. The replacement steel design mounted on concrete anchors and erected in 2022 was meant to have a lifespan of 50 to 100 years, according to Frank Adamson, the Fonthill Rotarian who spearheaded the fundraising effort to rebuild the feature.
By Nov. 9, the roadway had been reopened.
"The inspection team have done a complete review of the arches, and following the inspection, the roadway was reopened on Saturday," Town communications specialist Leah Letford told PelhamToday at the time. "The engineer is doing further follow-up testing on bolt samples from the arches. The engineer will provide a further report on the completed inspections."
Responding to follow-up queries, six days later Letford confirmed what PelhamToday had earlier learned, namely that a set of bolts had sheared off, possibly due to wind.
"The report confirmed that the failure was only in one arch-span location," said Letford in an email. "The entire structure was evaluated, and it is safe to have the roadway and pedestrian walkways open. Town staff are reviewing the engineer’s recommendations. Staff are working with the engineer to determine estimates and options for the potential of additional strengthening enhancements."
However, a senior Town Hall figure who asked not to be named tells PelhamToday that the situation isn't clear-cut.
"I don’t think the event happened when the bolt sheared—that takes enormous force beyond the wind. I think it happened in the freeze-thaw cycle when the pylons moved. It only takes two of the eight pylons to heave even a quarter of an inch [to cause problems]. That leaves the framework under a lot of stress."
Initially costed out at $115,000, the price tag grew closer to $175,000 to rebuild the replacement arches as two years of the pandemic delayed completion of the project, which was also scaled back from four to three arches as an economy measure.
The previous Pelham Town Council committed $30,000 towards the construction in the form of a bridge loan. Niagara’s organizing committee for the 2022 Canada Summer Games provided $10,000 for shade sails, and updated, high-efficiency lighting came via a grant from Niagara Region.
Ultimately, however, the design and construction were overseen by service club volunteers—Fonthill Rotary—not the Town of Pelham.
The Town assumed ownership of—and liability for—the structure in September 2023, meaning that taxpayers are now on the hook for maintenance and repair.
Modifications that have already been approved by council include polishing and epoxy-coating of the concrete bases. This will involve grinding and repairing minor deficiencies in the concrete, followed by the application of a clear finish coat to protect and seal. The Town says the project is scheduled to begin next spring, at an estimated cost of $17,600. The costs incurred for the inspection and repair earlier this month are as yet unknown, and will be funded through the Public Works Road 2024 Operating Budget.
Also slated for change is the removal of donor signs that went up soon after construction, a hodgepodge of mismatching colours and over-large graphics that were greeted with a distinct lack of enthusiasm in Town Hall. PelhamToday understands that an understated plaque, possibly brass, is being contemplated as a replacement, listing all of the donors and located such that it does not interfere with drivers' attention when passing by.
So are the arches safe?
After repeated queries by PelhamToday on the matter of wind resistance, on Nov. 25 the Town responded via communications specialist Leah Letford that the structure meets the relevant portion of the Ontario Building Code [OBC].
"The arches were designed in accordance with Part 4 of the OBC," said Letford, "[which] requires a 1-in-50-year wind pressure with additional loading factors for location and wind gusts."
That is, the arches are theoretically designed to withstand the strongest windstorm or gusts expected on average every 50 years—assuming the bolts hold.
While PelhamToday was initially told that an independent engineering firm would be brought in to review the Nov. 5 incident and assess the arches' integrity, it has emerged that this was ultimately not what occurred. Perhaps akin to the fox being asked to certify hen house emergency exits, the original designer was consulted instead.
"The engineer that designed these arches was brought in by staff to evaluate the problem, and put forward a safe solution," Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin said late Monday. "He has signed off on the completed work, stating that they are safe once more. Staff are bringing a more detailed report to council, and I would not want to speculate on that report, at this time."
On this point, on Dec. 4 council will be presented with "a few different options," according to the Town, to ensure the structure's continued safety and longevity.
Two days later, the Town's Outdoor Christmas Market is set to take place under the arches on Friday, Dec. 6, with over a dozen vendors offering their wares to the hundreds of visitors who typically turn out for the annual event.
