EAST MILTON — The Santa Rosa County Fair’s 25th anniversary coincides with the fair board’s release of its vision for phase two of what it calls an Agri-plex at the fairgrounds.
HISTORY
Phase one, the open-air June Ates arena, broke ground May 13, 2014. Phase two, according to fair board member Kyle Holley, will include livestock barns, stalls and exhibition space.
Last December, during the arena’s dedication, Holley discussed submitting an application for $643,000 in state funding, a grant he said the state had repeatedly rejected. But Gov. Rick Scott approved the funds for this year’s budget.
During a media conference Thursday, Holley said it took 10 years to raise funds for phase one at $1.2 million. “Recreational dollars were saved at a rate of $100,000 a year,” he said, adding it would have taken another 15 years to raise the $643,000.
Fair board members and Santa Rosa County Extension agents agree the ultimate vision for the Agri-plex will affect multiple facets of Santa Rosa County, including youth education, local economy and the arts community.
YOUTH EDUCATION
Extension and fair board members say timing is crucial for the Agri-plex’s expansion.
A particular priority? Youth interest.
“I’ve heard kids come to our fair and they see other kids with these animals,” Santa Rosa County Fair Board President David Phillips said. “One of them walked up to me last year and he says, ‘How can I do that?’” Phillips said he told the young man he needed to get involved with his local 4-H or Future Farmers of America organization.
“If we don’t take the time to teach these kids about livestock … and farming, in later years they won’t know where meat comes from, or vegetables, or anything else.”
Three teachers and a 4-H agent, Holley said, spurred this 300 percent increase in youth participation: Milton ag teacher Robyn Enfinger, Jay High School teacher Kaylen Findley, Central School’s ag teacher Mitch Lambeth, and 4-H agent Prudence Caskey.
“As a direct result of expanding capacity in the human capital available, additional working capital, and permanent structures, we are going to see the minimum performance of all youth ag-based programs move to a higher level and then sustain at a higher level,” Holley said.
LOCAL ECONOMY
Economic impact comes from varied sources, such as larger livestock shows and concerts.
Officials estimate direct impact on the local community to be $1,117,800, with total impact to the state expected to be $2,892,825.00. The project supports 1,072 direct jobs locally, and 2,031.6 jobs statewide.
Rabbit shows are not new to the June Ates Arena, but Caskey said with an enclosed structure, larger shows would be possible.
The barns, too, Holley said, would accommodate equestrian events, which may require overnight stay.
ARTS
Lisa Enfinger, fair board secretary, said art had dwindled due to the lack of a climate-controlled building where photographs and paintings wouldn’t suffer the elements.
While 4-H would have a place for photography, fine arts, drawings, pottery, and other hand-made items, “the community exhibits would be anybody from the community doing essentially the same thing,” Caskey said.
Past board chairman Phillip McDonald said, “In a permanent structure with a controlled environment, the arts and crafts and all the home economics … will be on a big increase once we have a facility that’s safe to put their exhibits in.”
Phase two is still in the planning stages, according to Holley, as the fair board and county extension still needs to learn exactly what the grant allows.
However, he said, water for the barns has been permitted and state agents will tour the current facilities in July.
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BY THE NUMBERS
Officials estimate direct impact on the local community to be $1,117,800, with total impact to the state expected to be $2,892,825. The project supports 1,072 direct jobs locally, and 2,031.6 jobs statewide.
Officials estimate direct impact on the local community to be $1,117,800, with total impact to the state expected to be $2,892,825. The project supports 1,072 direct jobs locally, and 2,031.6 jobs statewide.
BY THE NUMBERS
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: PLANNING THE FAIR'S FUTURE: Fair board touts Agri-plex's second phase