WASHINGTON CO. FAIRGROUNDS TO EMBARK ON MASTER PLAN PROJECT

  

Washington County officials will soon begin evaluating input from the public on a vision of the future for the Washington County Fairgrounds.

During Tuesday’s Washington County Commissioners Court meeting, Fairgrounds Director Harrison Williams briefed the court on a new master plan project.  The goal of the plan is to collect and use data from local stakeholders to inform the county on the best ways to move forward with the facility.

Williams, who has been the Fairgrounds Director for about a month and a half, said the fairgrounds are an integral part of the community, so many people have an opinion on what should be done with the facility.  He said the plan will find the underlying potential for the longevity of the facility, while allowing for public input on what direction it goes.

 

Williams said the plan will provide the county information on what can be done to maximize the usage of the fairgrounds while also weighing the cost and impact of large-scale decisions.  As the fairgrounds are over 150 years old, he said the overarching hope is to ensure the continued longevity of the facility for use by future generations.

A holistic approach will be used during the initial stages of the planning process, with recommendations for specific structures coming later on.  Williams hopes to have the plan finalized in six months, with the first opportunity for public feedback coming roughly two months into the process.  He noted that much of that process will take place virtually through surveys and online meetings, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The fairgrounds are also looking to the future with the creation of a new website.  On Tuesday, the county approved the purchase of a new website from Saffire for the fairgrounds, with Williams saying it will allow the facility to brand itself separately from the Washington County Fair Association.  He said the new website will make the process of facility rentals much easier, because right now, that process is somewhat confusing.

 

Williams said more functionalities will be built into the website as time goes on to ensure it fulfills its role as an advertising and rental tool.  While the timeline is subject to change, he said he is currently looking at a soft launch in December, with a full launch January 1, 2021.  A committee comprised of community members has been created to decide on a possible new name for the facility, which will be used to secure a domain for the website.

Williams invited anyone interested in providing feedback or getting involved in the planning process to contact him at 979-836-2299 or hwilliams@wacounty.com.  Click here to apply to the master plan task force.