‘We know this building will be a game-changer’

Ancaster Agricultural Society’s new multipurpose building is already booked for New Year’s Eve

As the Ancaster Agricultural Society (AAS) is quickly finding out, if you build it they will come.

Equine shows, trade shows, plus commercial and recreational events are returning to the fairgrounds, and soon a new 75,000-square-foot multipurpose facility will bring an additional wave of activity to the Trinity Road site.

On Oct. 6, the AAS held a groundbreaking event for its new facility, which is already taking shape next to the fairgrounds’ existing show arena and adjacent to the concession building.

Jill Ferguson, AAS president, said the facility will provide a year-round venue for local, provincial and national events. The building is designed to integrate both indoor and outdoor activities and will be used for equine, livestock, 4H shows, a variety of trade shows and other public and private events.

Amenities will include a large show ring, heated indoor space, a total of 160 livestock stalls on site when combined with the fairgrounds’ existing facilities, plus storage areas and a commercial kitchen.

“We know that this building will be a game-changer for the Ancaster Agricultural Society,” said Ferguson, who also acknowledged support from three levels of government.

In February, it was announced the AAS would be receiving a combined total of $2.9 million from the federal and provincial governments, plus a development charge exemption from the City of Hamilton valued at just over $1 million.

Ancaster councillor Lloyd Ferguson, who happens to be Jill Ferguson’s uncle, said the new facility promises to be among the premier exhibition venues in Ontario.

He commended the AAS for making the decision to limit this year’s Ancaster Fair to vaccinated members, exhibitors and their family members, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“I know it was a difficult decision to do that, but it was the right thing to do,” he said.

This year’s event, on Sept. 25 and 26, was closed to the general public.

While the structure was still open to the elements on Oct. 6, installation of roof panels was underway. Contracts were awarded to the St. Catharinesbased Brouwer Construction and Steelway Building Systems. The building is slated for completion in November.

Tammy Quinn, AAS manager, said the new facility is already booked for its first event, a New Year’s Eve party.

The new building is almost fully booked for weekend events between March and November 2022.

“We are seeing a lot of events come back,” said Quinn.

Many livestock shows used a tiered system of bracelets for screening checks prior to the province’s vaccine verification requirements coming into effect on Sept. 22, Quinn noted.

Under the new rules, staff are checking vaccine certificates before allowing patrons to access indoor facilities.

“There were some hiccups in the beginning in terms of backlash, but that has fizzled, almost completely,” said Quinn.

During the weekend of Oct. 3, for example, the Ancaster Gem Show saw virtually no issues with the vaccine verification system, Quinn said.

While the system is allowing trade shows to resume, physical distancing and capacity limits are still forcing some rental clients to rethink their event plans.

Marritt Hall, currently the fairgrounds’ largest exhibition hall, has a COVID capacity limit of about 325 people, whereas it could normally accommodate up to 1,600 attendees.