ASHLAND — The Ashland County Fairgrounds plans to put new roofs on three buildings this year thanks to a state grant.
The fairgrounds is set to receive $106,831.54 from the Ohio’s County and Independent Fair Grant Program, which was established to support upgrades to grounds — from electrical and sanitation systems to ADA accommodations.
The program received a $10 million injection from House Bill 33, which specifies funds should be distributed evenly among all eligible grant applicants. There are 94 county and independent fairs in Ohio.
“Investing in Ohio’s county and independent fairs means investing in some of Ohio’s most beloved traditions,” the governor said in a prepared statement. “These improvements will ensure that our fairgrounds remain safe and accessible for everyone.”
Ohio’s fair season launched June 8 with the Paulding County Fair and will wrap up Oct. 12 with the Fairfield County Fair.
‘A lot of projects’
Cathy Rice, the Ashland County Fair’s secretary, said the green building, dairy barn and swine barn will each receive a new roof this year. Work is slated to begin on the green building in July, she said.
“The other two, that’ll be after the fair,” she said.
The fair is scheduled for Sept. 15 to 21. She said the work will still be completed before the end of 2024.
Rice and her colleagues learned about this grant in January during a conference. The fair board sought bids for new roofs, knowing many of the buildings are in need.
The board had previously set a goal of replacing one new roof every year.
“This is helping us get ahead of the goal. It would take a couple years to raise that money,” she said.
Bids for the roofs revealed they’d be able to replace three with the state grant, Rice said.
But that’s not all the work that will be done to the grounds before the September fair week.
“There are a lot of projects going on,” she said.
The board approved $78,538 to be spent this year in capital improvements.
The veterans building is getting new windows, the Buckeye Building will get new siding and other buildings will get a new coat of paint. She said flower beds are getting revamped, along with some asphalting around the property and fencing around the Timken campground.
Also, Ashland County Commissioners hired Bogner Construction last week to do minor repair work to the fair’s grandstand. The $123,225 project is expected to be complete before the fair starts.
“It takes a lot of generous people to help us out, and we try to put that to a lot of improvements,” Rice said.