Township to review support for Lyndhurst Turkey Fair

Council of the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands has directed staff to prepare a report examining potential municipal support for the long-running Lyndhurst Turkey Fair, following concerns raised by event organizers.

During Monday’s council meeting in Lansdowne, councillors unanimously approved a motion requesting staff bring forward a report to a future committee of the whole meeting addressing issues raised during a recent delegation about the fair.

The motion, moved by Coun. Angela Kelman and seconded by Deputy Mayor Terry Fodey, asks staff to review several matters tied to the event, including the use of public spaces, assistance with road closures and barriers, bylaw and policing support, public awareness around property boundaries, and enforcement of special event permits.

The direction follows a delegation last week from Barb Bajema, a director with Lyndhurst Events, Arts and Fairs (LEAF), the volunteer group that organizes the annual festival in the village of Lyndhurst.

Bajema told council the event, which has been a fixture in the community for more than three decades, has faced increasing pushback from a small number of residents, raising questions among organizers about its long-term viability.

“We do not want to see it disappear,” Bajema said during the delegation. “It’s been a staple in the community for over 30 years. It brings in a huge amount of people, businesses and interest into the community of the small village of Lyndhurst but also the surrounding area as well.”

The fair draws thousands of visitors annually and is held directly on the village’s residential streets, a setting organizers say is central to its appeal.

Moving the event outside the village is not being considered, Bajema said.

“It’d die,” she told council, explaining that walking through the streets of Lyndhurst is part of the fair’s unique character. “It’s a beautiful little village.”

Unlike some other communities in the township, Lyndhurst does not have a dedicated fairground or large public venue capable of hosting the event. As a result, the festival relies heavily on street closures and co-operation from local residents.

Bajema said the vast majority of the community supports the event.

“I’d say probably 99.9 per cent of the residents of Lyndhurst are in support,” she said, adding that organizers are hoping to work with the township to address concerns raised by the small number of opponents.

Coun. Monique Antoine-Hartley suggested the township could help educate residents about bylaws and property boundaries, potentially through mailers or additional communication. She noted township staffers are already present during the event and wondered whether bylaw staff could also attend.

“I see it personally more as an education thing rather than an enforcement thing,” Antoine-Hartley said.

Bajema agreed, saying the goal is collaboration rather than enforcement.

“Having bylaw officers on scene would be a last-case scenario,” she said, adding that organizers would prefer the focus remain on education and assistance from the township.

Fodey also voiced support for the fair, describing it as an important community tradition.

“The focus should be on the 99 per cent who support the fair,” he said, while noting the township would likely have limited appetite for additional policing resources given the presence of the Ontario Provincial Police nearby.

Township staff is expected to report back to council with recommendations at a future committee of the whole meeting.

Keith Dempsey is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Brockville Recorder and Times. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.