‘Huge’ event: Fairgrounds opens dog barn to fanfare
A new dog barn is now open at the Clark County Fairgrounds.
The Coldwell Banker Heritage Dog Barn opened Friday following a brief program in celebration of the event.
“This is huge,” said Dean Blair, executive director of the fairgrounds.
The dog barn will serve as a central location for dog clubs to hold meetings and train dogs for competitions at the fairgrounds.
Blair said the dog barn could be used not just by agricultural folk, but by a “cross-segment of everybody in the county.”
The fairgrounds partnered with real estate company Coldwell Banker Heritage and Springfield-Clark Career Technology Center (CTC) on this project, according to Blair.
Coldwell Banker provided funding while up to 50 students from CTC constructed the barn.
“The quality of work (CTC stundents) do is phenomenal,” Blair said. “A lot of the things that happened cannot happen unless someone like Coldwell Banker Heritage is funding that project.”
The barn was erected on the grounds of a demolished barn built in 1950, according to Blair. The current barn has new walls, concrete and roofing, Blair said.
The barn interior is mostly vacant and has temporary heating. Blair said the barn will be fully usable and have permanent HVAC by the end of February.
CTC Superintendent Michelle Patrick said she is excited about the partnership with the fairgrounds.
Ron Sweeney, Coldwell Heritage managing partner, also praised Blair and the fairgrounds.
“This is a great facility and a great day,” Sweeney said. “We love Clark County. We love Springfield. The fairgrounds are awesome.”
Blair closed the program by thanking the fairground’s community partners for their involvement in opening the barn.
“This place is on fire, and it’s on fire because of our community,” Blair said. “Thank you for lighting our fuse.”