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Friday, 08 May 2009 |
By KAREN CAMPBELL
Assistant Managing Editor
With some conservative planning, a few new additions and plans for the future, the Auglaize County Fair is close to ready to go.
Scheduled for Aug. 2 through 8 this year, the fair will be without fireworks and the circus, but the Country Star Playoffs Finals, train rides through the fairgrounds and Dannon Yogurt Kids Day are back.
New to the fair line up are wrestling on Saturday afternoon, motorcycle races and daily how-to programs by Lowe’s.
“We’re trying different things, but being cautious this year because we don’t know what to expect,” Fairgrounds Manager and Fair Board Secretary Fred Piehl said.
He said with the country’s economic situation it’s tough to predict how the fair will do, but they are hoping that people may not be traveling as much and instead are choosing to stay closer to home and participate in more recreational activities, such as the fair.
“We’re trying some new things, but trying to be a little conservative with a couple of our sponsors backing off a little,” Piehl said.
He is excited about the return of the Country Star Playoffs as last year on Wednesday without them, attendance was down 30 percent and beer sales down 50 percent.
He said more than 100 goats and sheep already have been weighed in in preparation for this year’s fair, but dairy numbers are down in another sign of the times, as well as because of the conflict with Ohio State Fair dates and
See FAIR, Page 5A
shows this year.
“We’re dealing with it the best we can,” Piehl said.
In future planning, Piehl said the proposed Swine Building will not be started until immediately after the fair. Originally, it was scheduled for construction so it could be utilized during this year’s fair, but timeframes were getting too close.
Grindings from construction on Benton Street are going to be used to top off driveways and make other improvements on the fairgrounds. Piehl said for the cost of hauling the 3,000 tons of asphalt and base, the fairgrounds can utilize the materials in several locations.
Some of the grindings also are expected to be held back as stockpile.
He asked Auglaize County commissioners for assistance in paying for completion of an outlet tile, which starts at Dearbaugh Avenue and runs to the campgrounds.
He would like to see it finished to the new barn with all the water from the surrounding area and buildings being able to take advantage of the bigger tile.
The estimated $13,000 project would extend the tile from the corner of the campgrounds across the Gospel Tent and by the old Dairy Barn and sale Pavilion and would handle all the water there, Piehl said.
As the system works now, all the water from that area goes into a 6-inch tile that runs to the river.
“With the addition of a new building, the Miller Building and the new Show Arena, all that water could cause a real problem,” Piehl said. “The existing tile does not have the capacity to flow to the river.
“This probably should have been done before, but we didn’t have the line before,” Piehl said referring to the start of the tile, which commissioners helped put in approximately three years ago.
Commissioner Doug Spencer said they would think about the project and get back with Piehl, who hoped the commissioners could assist the Auglaize County Fair Board in funding it. For the previous project, commissioners paid for the main line and the fair board for submains.
He said the work could be done at any time, but he would like to line it up in the next few weeks so it’s done prior to the fair.
Commissioners hoped the project, even though estimated to cost less than required to be bid out, would be, so that everyone would have an equal chance for the work.
Also needing attention soon is the roof of the Junior Fair Building which was put up in 1969.
A couple of days have been spent patching holes in the leaking old portion of the roof. It is estimated to cost $39,000 to replace it.
A Horse Barn scheduled for demolition, possibly as a practice for the Wapakoneta Fire Department, may instead have to be taken down for material, as it is not in the department’s budget to practice on the building at this time, Piehl said.
With the contract expiring after this fair with the current ride company and them planning not to return, Piehl said they are looking at other companies, including Murray Brothers Amusements from Cincinnati, which provided rides for the fair in the mid-1980s.
Piehl said almost all the boats and campers stored at the fairgrounds during the winter have been picked up by their owners.
The fair board makes $35,000 renting the couple hundred spaces each year. There is no waiting list for the storage, which is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 09 May 2009 )
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