Still in Guelph, the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame gallery moves into OMAFRA building.
By Andrew Joseph, Farms.com
Just as sports fans visit the hall of fame shrines of their favourite sports to marvel at Babe Ruth (baseball), Gordie Howe (hockey), Jim Brown (football), Bill Russell (basketball), AJ Foyt (motorsports), so too should our ag community.
Freshly moved from one location in Guelph to its new home at 1 Stone Road West, the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame (OAHF) and its wonderful gallery of inductees is on full display for all to enjoy.
Including the long-time greats, the OAHF gallery wall shows the two most recent years of inductees, along with sponsor and supporter information.
“We’re very excited to have our inductees so prominently displayed in the OMAFRA building,” said Kelly Daynard, OAHF president. “The gallery has increased visibility and easy accessibility which allows us to better profile, and honour, past, current and future inductees.”
Adds Daynard: “It is the mission of (OAHF) to acknowledge, record and preserve the contributions made by leaders to the growth and development of Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food industry and rural communities across the province.
There isn’t a better home for the OAHF than the government building, where those who had an impact on Ontario agriculture can be showcased.”
Unfortunately, due to Covid restrictions, an official opening has not been possible.
The OAHF first opened in 1980 with nine inductees, before growing to what it is today, with—if Farms.com counted correctly—240 HoFers, including a relative (by marriage) of this article's writer, Ron Moyer.
Prior to its current home, the OAHF was located at the Ontario AgriCentre in Guelph since 2016, and in Milton for almost 40 years prior to that.
The next induction ceremony will take place on June 12, 2022. More information will be made available on the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame’s website at www.oahf.on.ca.