Mapleton ag society fundraising for wheelchair lift

MAPLETON – The agricultural society here is already halfway to its goal of raising $250,000 to install a commercial wheelchair lift in its hall, known as the old arena, at 49 Elm St. in Drayton. 

Drayton Mapleton Agricultural Society committee chair Neil Driscoll and facilities manager Arlie Zantinge visited council during its April 28 meeting to request support. 

It’s the biggest project in the club’s history, Driscoll said.

The lift will bring people to the upper hall, an accessible space with a certified kitchen, he said. 

“It’s to help our aging group that does a lot of catering to get up and down from the kitchen to the main arena floor,” he said.

“It’s going to make it usable for everybody – no matter their mobility issue at all.” 

The hall is used by community members almost every evening during the week, Driscoll said.

While the society has been considering installing a lift for a long time, the push came recently when someone using the space noted some of his attendees could not access the upper hall, and offered to make a donation to help pay for a wheelchair lift, Driscoll said. 

He expects the society will spend up to $300,000 to install the lift, and “to date we have raised half of it.” 

The society is working to avoid dipping into reserve funds to pay for the lift, he said. 

“Our big ask is coming here today to ask you folks if you could help us out with the cost of permits and licencing fees,” he said to council. 

That includes building and inspection fees, and a permit for a 50/50 draw to fundraise for the lift, Driscoll said.

Council has a budget of $75,000 for community grants in 2026, and all of that money has already been allocated to other groups. 

Township staff did not have the total cost for permits and licences off hand, but suggested the request would come in at under $1,000. 

“Knowing this is going to better the ag hall for the community, I would like to propose ... that we fund the licensing and fees up to $1,000 for the ag society for this project,” said councillor Amanda Reid. 

Councillor Michael Martin said he’d “prefer to know an actual number,” and asked if staff could return to council with that figure. 

Reid agreed with this approach, and council voted unanimously to have staff return with more information.  

The goal is to get started on the project after the Drayton Fall Fair, which runs from Aug. 7 to 9, Driscoll said, and to work on it throughout the winter.