Negotiations continue to drag on between the Stanley Agricultural Society and the City of Winkler over the land surrounding the proposed Meridian Exhibition Centre expansion.

The city needs possession of the land before construction can take place.

However, the agricultural society continues to request more time to find a new home.

"I wish I could say it is all settled. It is not," Winkler Mayor Martin Harder says. "We need to move forward."

Stanley Ag Society Board Chair Toban Dyck explains making such a significant decision takes added time being a volunteer board with opinions of the membership to take into consideration.

With the Stanley Ag land moving away from the Harvest Festival grounds, some wonder if attendance will drop for rodeos and horse shows

"We're doing our best to navigate this in the best interest of our membership," he says.

While the City of Winkler had an appraisal done of the land, and made the society an offer, Dyck says they've since pursued their own appraisal of the same land.

"That's what we're waiting for," he says. "So that we can have a better sense of the value."

Jenn Klassen of the 4H Trailblazers and Equine Horse Club notes the prime real estate adjacent to the Harvest Festival Grounds, and conveniently located within the city, are huge benefits.

With Stanley Ag grounds at another location, she notes crowds' attraction would be split.

"The size of crowds and spectators to the rodeo and horse shows would definitely be smaller," she says. "The feel of a country harvest fair would change without these events right there on the grounds."

However, Dyck says the society can't be afraid of change.

"We're also quite excited about the future and what that holds for us," he says. "There a sense in which the society will have to redefine itself in a new space. But we're looking at it more as a potential opportunity than a loss."

Klassen says another potential benefit is space. While the grounds perfect during spring shows, the space is becoming cramped during the annual summer Harvest Festival.

"It's a lot of trucks and trailers coming out hauling their animals," she says. "I think we're starting to outgrow it."

In the end, she says the most important aspect is that a fair deal is struck, "and we're not just pushed out."

"We would really miss those grounds to use during the fair," she says. "We want to see those attractions stay available to our community, instead of getting lost in the sake of progress."

If time runs out during negotiations, both parties will have to resort to expropriation with a third party making a final decisions.

"The cons would be it would be outside our control," Dyck says. "Expropriation means its going to a committee we don't have influence over."

If that route is taken, Dyck says their hope is a committee would assign a value to the land, "that would be in our best interest and allow us to live and thrive on a different property."