Ashland County Fair breaks ground on Frank Goschinski Heritage Hall

ASHLAND — Frank Goschinski’s legacy will long live on through the walls of a new building expected to open at the Ashland County Fairgrounds in time for the 176th county fair.

A skilled entrepreneur and businessman, Goschinski passed away in December 2022 at the age of 68.

He was the president and owner of Mitchell & Sons Moving and Storage. After retiring from the moving business, Goschinski continued working at Fin Feather & Fur Outfitters as the founder of Ohio Precision Transportation, according to his obituary.

He founded MAG Investments and was a board member of the Ohio Movers Association, where he was inducted into Ohio Movers Hall of Fame. He served as a Milton Township trustee and played varsity football at Ashland High School, maintaining lifelong friendships with his teammates and supported of Arrow athletics.

His name will now be forever represented on the building planned to replace Mozelle Hall — Frank Goschinski Heritage Hall.

County fair officials, family and community members gathered Saturday afternoon for a groundbreaking ceremony during the final day of the 175th Ashland County Fair.

“It’s a big endeavor for our Fair Board, one of the biggest ones that we’ve ever been involved in (dating) back to the 1930s when they built the coliseum,” said Ashland County Fair Board President Martin Wesner.

Natalie Wesner-Goschinski, sister-in-law of Frank Goschinski, helped spearhead the project, which dates back several years.

The Fair Board made site visits to surrounding county fairgrounds as far back as five years ago, Wesner said. The campaign for the new building took off about three years ago.

“When I stepped up as campaign chair for what started as the Ashland Civic Center, it was an honor — and an adventure — to work alongside such an incredible committee,” she said. “We embarked on a task that had never been done before.”

She thanked Gene Haberman for starting the effort.

“After that, we grabbed the reins and rode off, full speed ahead, feeling a bit like the blind leading the blind,” Wesner-Goschinski said.

The campaign committee included Wesner, Jeff Jones, Sandy Burkholder, Kristin Flickinger, Barb Hendrix, Maxine Swaisgood and Jake Jones. She shared a special thank you to Shirley Bonfiglio and Cathy Rice.

“I’d also like to express our deepest gratitude to all of our donors. You believed in us and in our mission to bring this beautiful vision to life,” Wesner-Goschinski said. “This moment wouldn’t be happening without your trust and generosity.”

She said she is blessed to be a part of the Goschinski family.

“I am deeply thankful for their gracious contribution — a gift that transformed this project from a Civic Center vision into what we are breaking ground on today: the Frank Goschinski Heritage Hall,” she said.

Mayor: ‘We’re proud of the Goschinski family’

Ashland Mayor Matt Miller and state Rep. Melanie Miller attended Saturday’s ceremony.

Wesner said Melanie Miller was instrumental in helping the fair board receive a $1.1 million state grant in 2024 to be put toward the new building.

Between the state grant and community donations, about $3 million has been raised to date, the Fair Board president said. Around $300,000 more would mean the building is completely paid for, he said.

The mayor complimented the work of the fair board and its efforts to ensure the fairgrounds remain “relevant and modern.”

“You still hold on to all of our favorite traditions, all the things we’ve come to love (about) our fair and have come to look forward to every fair, but you’ve always modernized it and kept it relevant with the times,” Matt Miller said. “That’s what this building will do.”

He also thanked everyone who donated to the project and those who were tasked with making the asks.

“When you build a big building like this with a big price tag, you’re going to a lot of the same people who have already pledged their dollars here or pledged their dollars here,” the mayor said. “You had to work hard to earn every dollar to make this project happen.”

The mayor said Goschinski was a humble man and questioned what his reaction would be to the building displaying his name.

“This is our reaction to the heart of that man and the good thing that he’s left here in this community long after he walked among us. We’re proud of the Goschinski family,” he said.

Wesner added the Stone family also made a generous donation to the project and will have a dedicated room inside the hall.

‘He was my hero,’ says Michael Goschinski

Simonson Construction Services will lead the construction of the new building.

It will provide a climate-controlled space for events, meetings and other community activities.

Wesner said the tentative demolition date for Mozelle Hall is Oct. 12. Once Mozelle is cleared of everything the fair wants to preserve, an opportunity for community members to keep their own piece of the infamous wood floor will be announced.

Frank Goschinski Heritage Hall should be finished in time for next year’s fair, he said, estimating a potential completion by the end of July 2027.

Simonson Project Manager Chad Emmons presented the Goschinski family with a commemorative groundbreaking shovel mounted to a plaque, which included the name of the hall and date of the ceremony.

Michael Goschinski, one of Frank’s siblings and Wesner-Goschinski’s husband, thanked his wife for taking on the project.

“I have been blessed with a wonderful family and I’m proud of each and every one of you. We miss our brother,” he said.

“He (Frank) was my hero,” Michael Goschinski said. “Frank was a humble man and all about the community and helping people.”

Wesner said the Goschinski family has long supported the Ashland County Fair.

“Any time the Fair Board or Junior Fair has asked for anything from the Goschinski family, the whole family has stepped up. It’s a great tribute to them and to Frank,” the Fair Board president said.

Below are more photos from Saturday’s ceremony. Credit: Hayden Gray