KENILWORTH – Farming-themed outdoor educational programming is coming to a rural property east of Arthur.
Wellington North council approved a zoning bylaw amendment permitting the program during a regular meeting of council on Sept. 22.
The site-specific amendment rezones about a quarter of a hectare (0.6 acre) of a 37-hectare (91 acre) agricultural property at 8196 Wellington Road 109.
The programming will be aimed at children from Arthur aged four to 12. Children would participate in agricultural activities such as working the soil, growing plants, seeding and harvesting, while also learning about insects and animals.
Programming will include groups of six children attending for one day per week during the school year, a Friday drop-in program for 10 families (similar to a parent and tot program, also during the school year) and a weekly summer program, with six children at a time attending every day for a week. One full-time staff member will be hired to run the program, with the possibility of teenage volunteers also participating.
“An additional staff person could be hired in the future to provide space for another six children to attend the program(s) at a time,” the township report noted.
Councillor Penny Renken asked if there was interest from the school board about students attending, and the property owner said he’s had some interest from school principals.
The educational activities would not inhibit farm activity, township planners note in a report on the amendment.
The remainder of the property is intended to be used for agriculture, including crops such as vegetables and a small orchard (11.5 hectares/28.5 acres), market gardens (about one hectare or two to three acres), a new greenhouse (195 square metres/2,100 square feet) as well as forestry.
According to the report, township “planning staff view the proposed use as similar in scale and impacts as a home daycare, while the gardening, farming and forestry/nature components are permitted and appropriately located within the agricultural area.”
The owner of the property also owns Copernicus Education Products on the property next door (8194 Wellington Road 109).
A public meeting about the zoning amendment was held on May 6, 2024. No residents spoke to council during the meeting, but four letters of support were submitted.
“Following the public meeting, the applicant prepared a traffic brief and a floodplain report to address comments from Wellington County roads department and the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA),” states the report.
The roads department is satisfied with the traffic brief and no improvements to the entrance or road are warranted, the report continues.
“The GRCA has reviewed the floodplain report, which indicates that safe access can be provided to the site as the frontage of the property is not within the floodplain.”
There is an existing dwelling on the property that would provide the program with washrooms, a small parking area, and shelter during extreme inclement weather. Parking would also be utilized on the neighboring property.
Township staff said they were hesitant to refer to the proposed use … as an “on-farm diversified use” as the property is not yet being used for agricultural production.
Council approved the bylaw amendment unanimously.
