Although it may appear to be just a building, the Ashmont Agriplex has acted as a gathering site for countless community events over the past 25 years. From weddings to funerals, and quad rallies to ball tournaments, the building is often seen as the heart of the small hamlet and its surrounding area.
On Saturday, the Ashmont Agricultural Society hosted a dinner and dance to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the completion of the Ashmont Agriplex. The event brought together those involved in making the project a reality a quarter century ago, along with current volunteers and municipal government officials.
The evening began with cocktails and a social dinner before the official program began. Cheryl Desmond, Master of Ceremonies for the night, kicked off a few short speeches by thanking past and present ag society presidents.
“The Ashmont Agriplex is a very important facility for this community and the surrounding area. Without the presidents of the ag society, we would never had been able to build such a great building, and their hard work has driven this project forward, and will continue to do so for years to come,” said Desmond.
Dwayne Lindberg, a former County of St. Paul councillor during the time of the construction of the Agriplex, said a few short words after Desmond concluded her remarks.
“It’s been a long time since this place was built,” Lindberg said. “But now, it looks just as good as it ever did. And I think that all the people to volunteer here can be happy with the work that they are doing. Thank you for your dedication.”
The speeches were concluded with remarks from County of St. Paul reeve Steve Upham.
“I want to congratulate the town of Ashmont and the Ag Society for this great achievement. It’s one thing to get a place like this built, but it’s another thing to keep it up and running for 25 years. You’ve all done a great job making sure that this building reflects the community and what it stands for.”
Upham presented a plaque commemorating the event to current agricultural society president Danny Weinmeier, and then the dance began with live music provided by the band Latigo.
The Ashmont Agricultural Society was formed in 1984, and members at the time were keen to construct a multipurpose building that could suit the needs to Ashmont community members. The only other large building in Ashmont at the time was the Legion building, but it was not suitable for big events.
After years of obtaining government grants, planning, and contractor bids, the building was completed in 1991.
The building holds a special place in the heart of Garry Himschoot, current Ag Society vice-president and society member since its inauguration in 1984.
“I come here pretty much every day and help out any way that I can. I think that there haven’t been many days in the 25 years that I haven’t been here.”
Since that time, the Agriplex has been host to a large variety of events, including weddings, funerals, community dinners, sporting tournaments, graduation ceremonies, and recreational events.
Some of the important events the Agriplex hosts each year are Heritage Days in August, and the quad rally in the spring, which in the past has had upwards of 800 participants.
Another important program at the Agriplex is Moms and Tots.
“The Moms and Tots program allows young moms and their small preschool childrens to meet once a week to get out, have a social life, let their kids play, and do crafts together,” said Desmond. “Without the Agriplex, Moms and Tots probably wouldn’t happen.”
Weinmeier also thanked all those to have volunteered at the Agriplex over the last 25 years.
“Because of the Agriplex, Ashmont residents don’t have to go out of their way to have a place to gather and be together. And without the volunteers helping throughout the years, none of this would exist. It takes countless hours to make sure that everything is running smoothly. Cleaning, building maintenance, locking up—all these things are done by volunteers, and we couldn’t thrive like we do without their help.”
