Construction is underway to build the new Agri-Culture Centre next to the main gate at the Ormstown fairgrounds, in the same location as where the dining hall once stood. The work is part of an estimated $1.6 million project by the Livestock Breeders Association of the District of Beauharnois (LBA) to update the century-old buildings and infrastructure on site.
During a press conference in Ormstown on September 25, the minister for the Economy, and minister responsible for the fight against racism and for the Laval region, Christopher Skeete, confirmed the provincial government will invest $250,000 in the project through Investissement Quebec’s Programme d’immobilisation en entrepreneuriat collectif (PIEC). This funding is in addition to a $175,000 contribution previously announced from the ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
During his speech, Skeete noted this was his first announcement as minister responsible for the social economy, a portfolio he has just inherited. “It is special for me to be here. The fair is important to the English-speaking community, and it is good news to have a place rich in history and so rich in tradition that will allow its community to flourish,” said Skeete, who spoke in both English and French.
LBA general manager Sue Morison expressed her thanks on behalf of the board of directors, while noting the motivation behind the project has always been to preserve the history of the fairgrounds while creating a year-round, multi-use installation that will allow the LBA to diversify its activities while adding value to the site. “The contribution by Investissement Québec will allow us to complete this project,” she confirmed, saying the goal was for the new centre – which will include a conference room, a commercial kitchen, and the LBA’s administrative offices – to be operational by spring.
Additional funding for the Agri-Culture Centre includes $647,000 from the Caisse Desjardins du Haut-Saint-Laurent, $100,000 from the Quebec Ministry of Tourism, and $28,000 from the Société d’aide au développement des collectivités (SADC).
