Mapleton approves rezoning for new Mennonite school on agricultural land

Mapleton council has approved a rezoning to permit the construction of a new Mennonite school on 12th Line, between Drayton and Alma. The school, which will have three classrooms, is set to open by September 2028 and will serve approximately 40 students, from kindergarten to Grade 8, from Old Order and Markham Mennonite families. The school will be located at 7550 12th Line, where a single hectare (2.5 acres) is being severed from a farm for the project. This rezoning is a condition of the severance, which was approved by Wellington County’s land division committee in July.

The approval came during a public meeting on Sept. 8, where no members of the public spoke, though several submitted letters expressing concerns. Neighbors Wayne and Anita Schneider questioned whether the township had investigated the potential impact of the school on the surrounding community, including road usage, road wear and tear, and business complications. They also raised concerns about whether the need for the school had been thoroughly researched and if other locations or expansions of existing schools had been considered.

The Schneiders emphasized that their comments were not directed at the Mennonite community or the value of education, but rather at the suitability of the location, long-term impacts on the agricultural area, and the precedent set by approving a permanent institutional use on prime agricultural land. Their concerns were largely not addressed during the public meeting, and as of Sept. 14, Anita Schneider noted that the municipality had not responded to their letter.

Township planning manager Michelle McCabe told the Advertiser that questions about protecting agriculture, maximum enrollment, and impacts on neighboring wells, groundwater, and spring-fed ponds were outside the scope of the application. She stated that there are several provincial and local policies in place to protect agriculture, and that the approval was based on these policies.

Wellington County’s official plan allows for schools on prime agricultural land when they serve communities that rely extensively on horse-drawn transportation. The Schneiders asked what portion of students would travel by horse and buggy and how many would be needed to satisfy the official plan. School representative Matt Frey noted that it is difficult to predict the number of students who will use horse and buggy, as it depends on the families who choose to attend the new school.

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