The Pickaway County Board of Commissioners chose ms consultants, inc. to create a master plan for its fairgrounds. The project’s goal is to ensure the continued preservation of the county’s agricultural heritage, while providing for the fairgrounds’ future relevance and vitality.

The Commissioners wanted a cohesive master plan that revitalized the fairgrounds and provided quality, year-round, multipurpose facilities for the community.

Ranging approximately 60 acres, the Pickaway County Fairgrounds Master Plan addresses several areas and buildings, including:

• Five new livestock barns ranging from 7,500 to 21,000 square feet
• 22,000-square-foot indoor arena with offices, conference rooms, concessions, and a shower facility
• 40,000-square-foot, covered, outdoor, dirt track arena
• 18,000-square-foot, two-story, multipurpose building with banquet/meeting rooms, commercial grade kitchens, offices, and conference rooms
• Amphitheater
• Midway
• RV park
• 40% increase in parking

ms performed a field survey to document existing conditions. The team assessed buildings, barns, grandstand, utilities, MEP, and drainage. ms also performed a traffic-impact study, analyzing the effects of the proposed driveway reconfiguration on daily traffic.

ms led stakeholder and public planning sessions to understand the community’s needs and concerns. Among others, the involvement included the following stakeholders:

• Pickaway County Board of Commissioners
• Pickaway County Fair Board
• Pickaway County Junior Fair Board
• Pickaway Sportsman, Inc., a nonprofit group
• Pickaway County 4H Advisory Committee
• Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association

Through these sessions, ms discovered the public and stakeholders were concerned with:

• Undersized and dated facilities
• Inefficient layout and function of facilities
• Ineffective drainage and flooding
• Lack of parking
• Lack of site security
• Traffic congestion

After understanding the existing site, future needs, and community desires, the team gave recommendations for fairground improvements. The goal being a more effective and useful Pickaway County Fairgrounds. Recommendations included:

• Facility improvements
• Upgrades to enhance the fairgrounds’ marketability and increase revenue
• Design and location of a proposed multipurpose, community building
• Improvements to traffic access and internal traffic circulation
• Modernizing utilities, including water, sewer, and electrical
• Burying all electric and telephone lines to improve the site’s appearance and create more usable space
• Stormwater treatment placement locations
• Sound and lighting systems
• Fencing, parking, and landscaping plans, including an enhanced fairgrounds entry
• Temporary siting of recreational vehicles (RVs), campers, and tents for the annual Pickaway County Fair and other special events.

To view the Pickaway County Fairgrounds Master Plan animation, click here.