Centre Wellington councillors are ready to watch a good project grow.
In this instance, council is supporting the Wellington Centre for Community Agriculture Project through a lease agreement for a stone house located on the grounds of the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex.
Several months ago, township staff was approached by Chris Jess, a teacher at Centre Wellington District High School (CWDHS) in regards to a new and unique project for grade 11 and some elementary students in the Upper Grand District School Board.
The project, Wellington Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, calls for the development of a classroom and small cooking facility in conjunction with a small farming operation.
The intent is to educate and promote sustainable agriculture.
As such the township was approached to allow the project to lease the existing stone house on the grounds of the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex and a small amount of land surrounding the building.
The house would be used for a classroom, kitchen, washroom and storage.
Currently the building is used for storage, but is in need of repairs.
The land surrounding the building also provided storage space, both for the parks and recreation department, as well as for special events.
CAO Andy Goldie said this concept is positive for both the high school and the community.
A presentation was made last February regarding the proposal and the potential partnership with Jess, the not-for-profit group and the Upper Grand District School Board.
He said “this will allow Jess and his group, and the school board to proceed with renovations to the stone house to create the sustainable agriculture program which will help serve the community for many years both in terms of sustainable agriculture and educating our youth with a great program at the high school.”
He hoped Jess would be there for the duration of the 15-year agreement.
Goldie noted the agreement was lengthy because there are a number of partners involved in the agreement.
“This just highlights the number of people in the community who are interested and want to get on board with this,” Goldie said.
He said the Upper Grand District School Board is a key partner in this, and involves a lease agreement with the board, which will then assign its use to Jess and the non-profit group.
“The stone house is ‘hurting’. It hasn’t seen a lot of repair work in a number of years.”
Now, Jess has worked with some architects, engineers and environmental people to look at renovations.
Originally, renovation costs were pegged at $100,000, but due to complications, that price has increased to $150,000 – which includes hookup to township water and sewer services.
It would also convert the building’s oil furnace to propane.
Goldie provided architect drawings as he noted the close work with the township to ensure all the renovations also meet municipal requirements.
He explained that is being done in case there is a time where the sustainable agriculture project ceases, “the municipality would still have a very sound property it could lease out or use.”
He added the building’s current condition is such that the township would have had to invest in repairs, had this opportunity not come along.
He noted the involvement of Wellington Dufferin Community Futures which is supporting the loan of $150,000 to the group for the renovations.
Part of Community Futures requirement was that the interest-free loan be guaranteed by the township, since the municipality is the owner of the property.
Goldie stressed that Jess has a business plan as to how that loan will be repaid.
“At the end of the day, we hope this will cost the township no dollars,” Goldie said.
He said this will involve a 15-year lease with the Upper Grand District School Board.
One of the key items was consultation with representatives of the Fergus Fall Fair, Fergus Truck Show and the Scottish Festival, since it would impact on property used by those events.
Goldie said letters of support for the project were received from the Fergus Fall Fair and the Scottish Festival.
“Both groups see this as a positive for community youth,” he said.
Jess quipped “I knew how to make soup really well … now I know how to read legal documents and architectural drawings.”
While it’s been a bit of a learning curve for Jess, he said Goldie has kept him on the ‘straight and narrow’.
“I think the plan in front of [council] is clear. I think the part I enjoyed most is … we’re not a business and trying to move in … it’s purely about getting kids onto some land to grow food.”
Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj said Jess has been on “quite a journey to get this launched.”
“From the first day you walked in with a duo-tang with your idea, I can imagine this is a lot more complex than a recipe.”
“… at the same time, it is not much different,” Jess responded.
One comment posed by council was a recognition that Jess is the driving force behind this project.
The question posed was what happened should Jess no longer be involved.
“I’ve never had my demise referred to so often, but everyone is wondering how long I’m going to last,” Jess said.
He agreed that his wife is from Nova Scotia and at times wants to see her family.
“Part of me doing this plan is also committing to the community.”
Jess estimated by the time the 15-year agreement is complete he would be 52-years-old “which is quite young.”
He said one of the main changes for him would be that he would be cooking with food grown by students instead of purchasing it.
Ross-Zuj commented “you certainly have inspired a number of young people to be excited about this as well..”
Council later passed a by-law to execute the lease agreement between the township and the school board and for the consent agreement with the involved parties.
