The Clark County Agricultural Society Board of Directors approved the installation of touchless faucets, flushing devices and paper towel dispensers on Wednesday in an effort to modernize six restroom facilities at the fairgrounds, Blair said.
The restrooms are located in the Arts & Crafts, Annex and Mercantile Buildings. Blair said they are also updating the floors in those facilities.
These enhancements are being completed with the help of a $6,000 grant from the Della Selsor Trust, Blair explained. He said they requested the grant several months ago knowing that the upgrades were needed especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Clark County Fairgrounds is expecting the touchless amenities to be completed by the end of February.
Additional upgrades include adding concrete flooring throughout Cattle Barn 6 where turkeys and ducks are housed during the Clark County Fair. Blair described this project as “long-needed” and said it should be completed by the end of April.
The Clark County Fairgrounds is also adding a new roof to their Youth Building, Blair said. He explained that the Clark County Commissioners allocated $50,000 to the fairgrounds in their budget and that money will be used towards the new roof.
The metal roof will be 4-H green and act as a tribute to Clark County 4-Hers, Blair said. He is expecting the roof to be completed by the end of May.
“As we think about the development that is going to be happening at the front of the fairgrounds and the wishful thinking and the hopefulness towards maybe a new hotel, restaurant, those types of things, I think it’s going to be so perfect that all of the sudden as you move back 300 feet there is a building that will look so dynamic and stand out well,” Blair said.
In July, the Board of Clark County Commissioners and the Clark County Agricultural Society agreed to move forward with giving the Clark County Fairgrounds a roughly $3 million facelift over the next three years.
The renovations to the fairgrounds include upgraded gates with fencing and landscaping at the entrance and adjacent area north of Interstate 70 on Ohio 41, a pedestrian drop-off location, a new fair office and space for the development of a hotel, restaurant and retail use.
The upgrade will also include a retention pond designed to improve drainage and fix flooding issues.
“Champions Park is such a special place for so many of us who grew up here and showed livestock and other projects at the Clark County Fair, so there’s no better place from which to draw energy to enhance our community,” Clark County Commission President Melanie Flax Wilt previously said.
Blair said they are very proud and excited to be able to complete these enhancements with the community’s support. The upcoming projects will be completed with the help of several local companies in an effort to reinvest back into the community, he explained.
The events that the Clark County Fairgrounds hosts are “exposing Springfield and Clark County literally to the entire world. I just see that getting better and better,” Blair said.
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