Ottawa Valley Seed Growers agreed during their annual meeting July 25 to hold at least the 2012 edition of their Ottawa Valley Farm Show at the proposed new Capital Exhibition Centre at Ottawa International Airport.
To be built by Shenkman Corp., the new trade show centre is scheduled to be completed early in 2012, replacing commercial show space lost through redevelopment of Lansdowne Park.
Faced with the need to relocate from Lansdowne, the Seed Growers hired consultant Roy Carver, a former Farm Show manager, to investigate other venues from Kingston to Ottawa, including some fairgrounds. For an indoor show held in March, the only practical alternative would the new Ottawa centre, Carver concluded.
"We won’t be bound by a long-term contract," said John Joynt, chairman of the relocation committee, adding that the association will be forwarding a refundable deposit of $2,000 to Shenkman, confirming its intentions for 2012. Next year’s show will be held at Lansdowne, March 15-17. The relocation committee will meet soon to put together a "wish list" of specific items it would like to see incorporated into the new centre for which the Farm Show will be one of the biggest customers.
In other business, the Seed Growers voted to become Patron Sponsors of the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame, an institution they’ve continuously supported with nominations and donations, including a one-time $5,000 given a few years ago.
They’ve also established a mini Eastern Ontario version of the Hall of Fame at Kemptville Campus of the University of Guelph, and have taken out lifetime membership in the H of F organization.
Under the Patron Sponsor Program, the Milton-based H of F is inviting 18 prominent corporations, associations and/or individuals to take on a leadership role in supporting the self-financing institution with a yearly donation of $1,000.
Members also agreed to contribute $300 to the educational component of this year’s Russell Fair, and $250 to the annual convention of the Christian Farmers Federation.
From the Archives:
News, August 2010
