Mapleton donates $550 towards ag society’s new wheelchair lift

MAPLETON – Council here has agreed to allocate $550 to the Drayton Mapleton Agricultural Society to support its Hall Mobility Lift Project.

Council approved the funding during a May 12 meeting.  

Club representatives Neil Driscoll and Arlie Zantinge delegated to council on April 28 to request the municipality waive building permit fees as well as a lottery licence fee for a 50/50 draw raising money for the commercial wheelchair lift.

There isn’t an avenue for the township to waive the fees directly, so instead it will provide the ag society with funding to cover the costs ($400 for the building permit and $150 for the lottery licensing). 

The money will come from the township’s municipal grants program budget.

The township allocated $75,000 for the program in 2026, which has all already been committed to other groups. 

However, according to a staff report, “it is possible that some initiatives will require less than the approved allocation. 

“In worst case scenario, this budget line would go over by $550 in 2026.”

For a best case scenario, and there being funds left over after the money is divvied out, councillor Marlene Ottens asked if the agricultural society could apply for further funding through the municipal grants project to go towards the lift.

Finance director Patrick Kelly said organizations are only allowed to apply for the grants program once a year, and the group already did so this year for a different initiative.  

The $550 towards the lift isn’t technically a grant under that program, he said, it’s just the place where the funds will be directed from. 

“But it’d probably not be something we want to get into the practice of opening up ... without taking input from the whole community to divvy up surplus funds.” 

The agricultural society is aiming to raise $250,000 for the lift, which will be installed in its hall, known as the old arena, at 49 Elm St. in Drayton.  

It is currently over half way to reaching the fundraising goal, and aim to get started on the project after the Drayton Fall Fair in August.