Cherry Valley event venue approved by council

Administrator | Dec 18, 2025 | Comments 0

By Sharon Harrison
An event venue for private functions, intended primarily for weddings, saw council approve a zoning bylaw amendment application for David Raistrick (operating as Cherryvale Farm), at Wednesday’s planning and development committee meeting.

The approval came with no discussion around the horseshoe, and no questions posed by council.

The application amends the existing zone to allow the permitted use of a banquet/meeting centre, in the form of a seasonal tent, to include weddings, entertainment events, and cultural and educational events, at the Cherry Valley property at 1927 County Road 10 in Athol ward.

Under a two-step process adopted in January, details of the proposed planning application came before council at a first overview meeting held Sept. 17, intended as information-gathering only.

Wednesday’s statutory public meeting, the second part of the two-step process came with a report and recommendation for approval by the planning department for council’s discussion and decision.

Two members of the public did speak at the meeting, one in favour of the application, the other against.

County Road 10 resident Andrea Weirstra, a close neighbour to the Cherryvale Farm property, is in support of the application, describing the owners as “an asset to the community”.

“There are only a few cattails, a bit of marshland and the County road that separate our lands,” said Weirstra. “Do we hear some of music? Sure. Sometimes. Does it bother us? Not at all. It’s happy time, it’s weddings, it’s anniversaries, it’s a party, it’s a time to rejoice in the community.”

“Do we notice an increase in extra cars going to Cherryvale? No.”

She said the Raistricks have “carefully thought out the placing of their event tent. Situated in a lower part of the grounds, there are trees and natural groundcover, and the bridal party accommodation building to act as a sound barrier”.

John Carnahan, on the other hand, was opposed to another outdoor event space in Cherry Valley, as it not only expands the size of the venue, but also moves it into a tent, essentially outdoors. He also spoke to the further disruption of the character of a once quiet residential community, and said the number of outdoor event venues needs to be regulated, and enforced.

“The resulting expanded non-mitigated amplified sounds would be far more disruptive to the venue’s neighbours undoubtedly,” expressed Carnahan, who confirmed his property is located directly between Cherryvale Farm and Lakecroft (another event venue).

“The new outdoor Cherryvale venue would double my exposure to amplified noise, because I live right between the pair of them, I am right in the middle,” he said.

Carnahan also had safety concerns related to late night traffic.

Located in Cherry Valley, the property fronts onto County Road 10 to the west and has an area of approximately 50.89 hectares, with 594.53 metres of frontage on the east side of County Road 10.

The tent had been previously been erected in recent years at the site, and in use illegally for hosting larger weddings, without the proper planning permissions.