Township of Wainfleet-ON

4 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 5 provincial designation, adding that the community takes great pride in its agricultural strength. Wainfleet is seeing more diversification in farm offerings, with owners finding creative and innovative ways to expand or change their offerings. “We have some interesting projects happening, things that we don’t necessarily see throughout the rest of Niagara,” relays Lindsay Earl, Manager of Community and Development Services. “For example, an adaptive reuse of an old poultry barn to be used as a new mushroom growing facility, expansions to bee farms, and a lot of proposals for on- farm diversified and value-added uses, where people are adding roadside stands and coming in for approvals for wedding/banquet facilities in underutilized agricultural buildings. A lot of people are now attracted to that rural environment, that country kind of lifestyle, so we’re seeing a lot more gatherings of such nature.” Although the township does not have specific incentive programs to help with these growth and expansion efforts, helping owners get through the planning and permit process is of utmost priority. “We recognize the importance of our agricultural community,” she asserts. “Oftentimes, those in the farming community have a lack of knowledge on the planning and development process. So, we are helping them through the permitting process for building permits, or if there are any other Planning Act applications that are necessary, really providing a high level of customer service, because those are the types of uses that we know are going to make our community flourish.” Tourism is also a draw for the township, with festivals like the Marshville Heritage Festival attracting a large crowd every labor day. “In the past, we’ve seen up to 100,000 guests,” says Mayor Grant. The event itself has been around since 1989, taking place at the Wainfleet Heritage Village, which consists of beautifully restored 19th-century buildings. “There are many, many historical buildings that are not only just from Wainfleet, but around Niagara and even Haldimand, giving a feel of what it was like living in the late 1800s era,” he portrays. During the summer months, visitors flock to the shores of Lake Erie to enjoy Long Beach, which Grant says