Wellesley formalizes new agreement with agricultural society for fall fair at new recreation complex

By Galen Simmons

The Wellesley-North Easthope Fall Fair will continue at the new Wellesley Recreation Complex for years to come after Wellesley council approved a new parkland licence agreement with the local agricultural society.

At its Feb. 10 meeting, council authorized the mayor and clerk to execute the agreement between the township and the Wellesley-North Easthope Agricultural Society (WNEH), formalizing use of specific township lands and buildings for fair purposes.

“When we closed down the old Wellesley Arena and Community Centre, the fair then moved their operations up to the new recreation complex,” township CAO Rik Louwagie said. “They’ve hosted the fair there for two years now. We had an agreement with them on the old lands based on the fact that the ag. society donated most of those lands to the township – there was an ongoing arrangement – and we wanted to bring all those rights and responsibilities over to the new complex so that the fair could continue and the ag. society could keep the rights that they previously had.”

The agreement follows the closure of the former arena and community centre at 1000 Catherine St., the longtime home of the fall fair. The agricultural society had originally donated portions of those lands to the township in 1962 and 1964, with an indenture registered on title allowing the fair to operate there at no cost for as long as a community centre was maintained on the site, but for a period of no less than 20 years.

With the minimum 20-year requirement long since satisfied and the community centre now closed, township staff entered discussions with WNEH to ensure the fair could continue at the new recreation complex. A temporary arrangement allowed the fair to move in 2024, with a formal written agreement to follow.

The newly approved agreement transfers the rights formerly available at the old fairgrounds to the new site. It allows WNEH to use the recreation complex buildings and grounds for the annual fall fair, as well as for two fundraising events and up to 12 meetings annually, all at no cost to the society.

In addition, the society will retain access to the picnic shelter at the old arena as long as it’s standing there for a seasonal farmers’ market and for its dairy education program.

“The farmers’ market wasn’t actually something that was in the previous agreement, but council had approved it several times over, so in working with (the agricultural society) on this, we felt it best just to put it right in the agreement and, if council agrees, then they don’t even need to come back for that permission on an annual basis,” Louwagie said.

The fall fair has been a staple in the township for 172 years, with the 2025 edition marking its 172nd year in Wellesley.

Township staff noted the municipality recognizes the importance of the event and what it brings to the community, and the new agreement continues the longstanding no-cost arrangement in recognition of the society’s past land donations and ongoing community service.

Once fully executed, township solicitors will remove the original indenture from the title of the old arena and community centre lands. The new agreement has an expiry date after 20 years, with the option to renew the agreement for additional five-year terms. After 20 years, the agreement can be cancelled by either the township or the agricultural society.

The report notes the recreation department was involved in negotiating the agreement and is satisfied with its terms, and that both parties had full legal representation in its preparation.

“It did take us a while to get there, but I think in the end, we’ve got a really good agreement that benefits all parties,” Louwagie said.

“And that’s a done deal, finally,” Mayor Joe Nowak said after council voted unanimously to authorize the signing of the agreement.