ASHLAND — The Ashland County Fairgrounds could look a little different in the next couple of years.
The Ashland County Agricultural Society announced Thursday morning its intentions to raise $6 million to fund the construction of a 35,000 square-foot “Civic Center.”
The facility would host shows, business meetings and private events like weddings and parties.
The new facility will mean taking out existing structures. Those structures — Mozelle Hall and the Hobby Building, along with its restroom and shower house — will be razed, likely after the 2025 fair.
“Our goal is to hopefully have the (civic center) up by the 2026 fair,” said Cathy Rice, the fair’s secretary.
Architectural plans include a 19,340 square-foot exhibit room with the ability to split into two separate rooms. Each room would be able to accommodate 400 people.
The building will also have several multi-purpose rooms, along with a lobby featuring a fireplace, an entrance with a covered drive-through canopy, a patio and a commercial kitchen.
What will it be used for?
The fair board’s impact statement for the project states the civic center could be used for the following:
- Class/family reunions
- Continuing education venues
- Educational dinner meetings
- Corporate Events-Staff meetings/trainings/celebrations
- Weddings
- Holiday parties
- Veterans groups
- Civic groups
- Gathering place for homeschoolers
- Proms
- Trade shows- Boat/Home
- Benefit dinners
- Graduation
- Life Celebrations/Funeral Dinners
- Farmers Market
- Art Shows –Local Artist, Kids Art from Schools
“The new Civic Center will offer updated and modern exhibition areas, meeting spaces and other amenities for services and events,” said Natalie Wesner-Goschinski, the project’s campaign chair.
Rice said the fair board has been working on plans for the civic center for a couple years. The need for a space like it exists because of “inadequate buildings,” according to the board’s impact statement.
“(The civic center would be) greatly improving the exhibition areas and allowing us to use the facility all year long,” reads the impact statement.
The fair also noted Mozelle Hall’s condition. The building, constructed in 1955, originally served as a roller rink. It has served as the fair’s primary exhibition area since the 1980s.
“It is a cement block structure with wooden flooring that holds moisture and causes the floor to swell, distort and emit a musty smell in the summer. In the winter, the four large overhead heaters are noisy and inadequate,” reads the impact statement.
The Hobby Building started as a grandstand for the Ashland Racetrack. It moved twice before ending up in its current spot in the 1970s.
“The Hobby Building does not have heating, air conditioning or insulation. The restroom/shower house lacks adequate heating and has to be shut down and drained when the temperature drops below freezing,” reads the impact statement.
Despite its imminent demolition, the Hobby Building is slated to get a new coat of paint this summer, as part of the fair board’s overall capital improvement plan for 2024.
Where will the money come from?
The fair board has started a capital campaign for the project, which is estimated to cost between $6 million and $7.5 million, Rice said.
The planning committee is “seeking contributions that will provide commemorative naming rights for the Civic Center, as well as specific areas of the building,” reads a press release issued Wednesday, but embargoed until Thursday at 9 a.m.
She said the board has approached some foundations, but nothing is finalized.
Rice said the board is hoping for a mixture of private donations and governmental funds to help support the project.
Elected officials weigh in
Ashland Mayor Matt Miller said a civic center is “critical” for a growing community.
“As our city and county continue to grow, and we attract more business and visitors to our area, it is critical that we have a central gathering place where we can accommodate larger crowds in a professional and comfortable setting anytime throughout the year,” he said in a prepared statement.
“This new Civic Center will allow our community to host exciting and meaningful events that in the past we have never able to consider,” he added.
Ashland County commissioner Denny Bittle said he and the office is excited.
“The commissioners enthusiastically support the construction of a new event center at the fairgrounds,” he said in a prepared statement. “We are excited to see this project move forward to create a positive and lasting impact on the quality of our community.”