Unable to agree on the selling price of the Stanley Agricultural Society (SAS) fair grounds, the society and City of Winkler continue to move through the expropriation process.

The legal process would remove the ag society from what SAS Chair Toban Dyck calls, "an ideal, visible and high traffic area for the society and its programming."

The city needs the land to begin work on an expanded arena.

Negotiations had begun seven years earlier, but with no agreement in sight, the city has left the decision to a third party so construction can begin on the Meridian Exhibition Centre.

"It's unfortunate we're spending money on lawyers to be able to do this, it wasn't necessary," Winkler Mayor Martin Harder says.

The City of Winkler hopes to expand the current arena into a multi-turf recreation complex onto what is now the Stanley Agricultural grounds

Dyck notes as a volunteer board, none with direct experience with expropriation, they are "relying heavily on our lawyer's recommendation for a fair outcome."

He notes involving lawyers is an important part of the process, one that is "completely divorced from any sort of emotional response we may or may not have," he says.

A concern for both parties has been the value discrepancy between the separate appraisals the City and the SAS commissioned.

"We want everyone to come out with a win, and ensure the ag society can continue operating its programming, which we feel is vital to any community," Dyck says.

Throughout the expropriation process, he notes their focus is not only on the immediate challenges, but also looking to the future of the society.

"We are not in this to create friction... it is a formality in the sense it needed to be done."

With Stanley Ag grounds at another location, Jenn Klassen of the 4H Trailblazers and Equine Horse Club says crowds' attraction would be split, "The feel of a country harvest fair would change without these events right there on the grounds."

However, the creep of development swallowing up agricultural fair grounds and eventual expropriation is not unique to Winkler.

The expropriation process was also carried out in Stonewall in the early 2000's.

"As councils get less ag-oriented, they say "this land could be worth more than what it's being used for,"" Gordon Grenkow of the South Interlake Rockwood Agriculture Society, explains.

Their 23 acre fairgrounds was eyed by council for recreational facilities and expropriation began in 1999.

Time in court together with the Stonewall Council lasted three years.

The SAS membership voted against selling the land West of the arena in 2016.

After agreeing on what Grenkow says was finally a fair price, 15 years later they've settled into their new home.

"We're still lacking in facilities... You can't replace in 15 years what took 100 years to establish," he says. "We are on new grounds, it is good, but financially we could spend $200,000 if we could... it has to come as we can afford it."

While located on a larger 80 acres a mile outside of town, Grenkow says it's still out of the way and inconvenient for some.

It's the same fear of Jenn Klassen of the 4H Trailblazers and Equine Horse Club in Winkler. She says they're losing prime real estate adjacent to the Harvest Festival Grounds, conveniently located within the city.

With Stanley Ag grounds at another location, she notes crowds' attraction would be split.

"The size of crowds and spectators to the rodeo and horse shows would definitely be smaller," she says.

SAS Chair Toban Dyck

Though it's taken some time to build up their clientele in the new location, Grenkow notes it's not all gloomy.

The community support for the society is still strong, and the society continues to look to the future.

"You can't hold a grudge for the rest of your life. In agriculture we persevere and move on."

As for the future of the SAS, Dyck says it's one step at a time.

"It's been an interesting few months... hoping a fair outcome is the result of all of this."