A failed attempt at relocating a horse racing track in Fredericton appears to have contributed to a breakdown in talks aimed at redeveloping the New Brunswick Exhibition grounds, according to documents obtained by CBC News.Meeting minutes and internal N.B. Ex newsletters show the organization was hoping to secure an alternate site for hosting “agricultural activities” at a federally owned experimental farm on the outskirts of the city.The hope was for that to happen before the current track near Smythe Street made way for a long-awaited middle school, the documents obtained through a Right to Information request show.But Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada rejected the N.B. Ex’s request to use part of the Fredericton Research and Development Centre, located in the city’s east end, according to department spokesperson Cameron Newbigging.”After reviewing the proposal, AAFC informed the NBEx that their requirements would bring irreparable and significant impacts to the research programs, security, and infrastructure at the FRDC,” he said in an emailed statement.The New Brunswick Exhibition’s board of directors tried getting Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada to agree to them using part of the Fredericton Research and Development Centre for a horse racing track. (CBC)The City of Fredericton has been pushing for years to redevelop the N.B. Ex grounds, a roughly 12-hectacre property owned by the municipality but leased to New Brunswick Exhibition, a non-profit organization, until December 2031.In 2021, the organization and the city agreed to a redevelopment plan that would see the annual exhibition live on using a footprint about a third the size of the entire property.The rest of it would be sold to developers to create as many as 1,200 new housing units, and another portion to the provincial government for the construction of a new middle school.But a change in leadership within the N.B. Ex in 2023 suggested wavering commitment to that plan, which involves getting rid of a barn and race track still used to house and exercise horses.Feeling the N.B. Ex was dragging its feet on redeveloping the site, the City of Fredericton moved to expropriate the lease it has with the organization.Early signs of troubleProgress on the redevelopment of the site was supposed to take shape starting in the fall of 2023 by way of a committee tasked with implementing the plan.It included Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers, Fredericton chief administrative officer Steven Hart, former N.B. Ex board chair Rob Kitchen, former N.B. Ex executive director Jeff McCarthy, and other officials from both sides.Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers was one of the city representatives on the joint development authority, which was supposed to implement the plan to redevelop the New Brunswick Exhibition grounds. (Aidan Cox/CBC)The committee, dubbed the joint development authority, was supposed to arrive at consensus on decisions, and N.B. Ex representatives said any land sales would first need to be approved by the organization’s general membership.However, the meeting minutes obtained by CBC suggest the two parties were misaligned from early on in their discussions.Minutes from the Nov. 23, 2023, meeting show N.B. Ex members expressed concern the already agreed-to plan didn’t leave enough space for agricultural activities, such as hosting livestock and horse trailers.Then on Jan. 30, 2024, N.B. Ex representatives were upset the city hadn’t included them in communications with the province about a new school on the site.In that same meeting, N.B. Ex director Kevin Price said people had been asking him why affordable housing and a new school were being planned for the site.”What about [the] history of horse racing, people now think there’s never going be a horse race there,” wrote Elizabeth Murray, the committee’s secretary, reflecting Price’s comments.While official harness races are no longer held on the exhibition grounds, owners still exercise their horses on the track and house them in an accompanying barn. (Michael Heenan/CBC)N.B. Ex representatives went on to say that none of the three options laid out in the redevelopment plan provided enough space for them to host the exhibition — an apparent reversal from the organization’s earlier position.From there, discussions shifted to finding an alternate location for hosting agricultural activities.N.B. Ex representatives said they wanted the new location to include a new race track, and that it would be preferable if it were secured before the current race track and barns were removed for redevelopment.Delays ensue as province shows interest in siteFrom there, tensions between the two sides only appeared to mount, even while the province seemed interested in selecting the N.B. Ex site for a a new school to replace the aging George Street Middle School.That replacement had been included in the province’s 2024 capital budget, and the province appeared interested in selecting the N.B. Ex grounds as the location, according to further meeting minutes.The province has indicated since 2023 that it plans to replace George Street Middle School, and documents from the city show it was very keen on pursuing the exhibition grounds as a potential location. (CBC)Minutes from the July 2, 2024, meeting show the provincial government asked city staff whether part of the N.B. Ex property could be acquired in spring 2025, in order for construction to start in spring 2026.City staff responded by saying that would be possible depending on the decision by Fredericton city council and the N.B. Ex board of directors.But a motion to move forward with selling part of the land for a new school was rejected by N.B. Ex membership at the organization’s November 2024 annual general meeting.That same month, Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada informed the N.B. Ex it was declining their request to use the experimental farm.CBC News asked Kitchen for an interview about whether the N.B. Ex stalled progress on the redevelopment as it tried to secure an alternate site for a race track, but he declined to comment over concerns it would affect the expropriation process.CBC News also asked Rogers and Hart for interviews about the breakdown in discussions, but city spokesperson Deborah Nobes said no comment would be provided for the same reason.Meeting gets heatedBy this past spring, no consensus had been achieved on moving forward with the school, or a parcel in the northeastern corner that was earmarked for apartment buildings, known as “Phase 1″ of the housing development.At the April 1 meeting, N.B. Ex representatives presented a plan that involved seeking expressions of interest from non-profit and co-operative housing groups, with the N.B. Ex board getting to choose the proponent.Hart replied that doing so would bypass the standard request for proposals process, and might create complications or delays for development.”Steven Hart emphasized that more progress could have been made in recent months and now time is of the essence,” wrote Murray.Immediately following those comments, the minutes show Kitchen left the meeting, and N.B. Ex director Crystal Branston accused city officials of wrongfully blaming the N.B. Ex for delays.”You guys are the ones that have dogged around and dogged around. So I find it very offensive that you come to the meeting tonight to try to say that you’re trying to put it all on N.B. Ex of why nothing has moved forward,” she said.The final meetingOn June 11, city officials met with N.B. Ex representatives with an offer in hand, according to unapproved meeting minutes.The city proposed an agreement to buy out part of the N.B. Ex organization’s lease specifically covering the property the race track is located on.”Ken Forrest explained the Government of New Brunswick has been interested in building a new middle school,” wrote Murray, in the minutes for that meeting.”Their preferred location is the Exhibition property, specifically the racetrack portion. What the city is proposing is to buy out the leasehold interest held by the NBEX on the racetrack property in its entirety.”According to the minutes, Forrest said the net proceeds from extinguishing the lease would be available for the N.B. Ex to use toward capital projects, land and buildings.The minutes don’t disclose how much the city was offering the N.B. Ex. Service New Brunswick property data shows the race track land has a provincially assessed value of $5.3 million.The offer came with a closing date of on or before Aug. 31, with 21 days given for the N.B. Ex to accept the agreement.N.B. Ex director Duncan Gallant said the proposal would have to be reviewed before being brought to the N.B. Ex’s membership. He offered no commitments or timeline for responding, other than to say 14-day notice is required to hold a special meeting of the membership.”It wouldn’t be good governance to schedule this meeting until the [N.B. Ex] Board is comfortable with the proposal,” Duncan said.That would be the last meeting of the joint development authority before city council cut off talks in September by moving to expropriate the entire property.The city has said it will pay the N.B. Ex $3.45 million for the remaining six years of its lease, however the organization and a handful of businesses subleasing the property have objected to the expropriation notice.It’s unclear where that leaves the province in its plans to build a new middle school.CBC News asked for an interview with Education Minister Claire Johnson about the site selection process, but was only provided a brief statement from communications staff.”GNB continues to search for a site for an urban school in Fredericton to replace George Street Middle School,” said spokesperson Sean McConnell.
Federal department dashes N.B. Exhibition’s hopes to relocate horse racing track
