MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The home of the Battelle District Fair now has state funding to help complete the construction of a new 80-by-80-foot barn.
State Senator Charles Clements and Monongalia County Delegate Joe Statler announced that $37,000 will be apportioned from the State Economic Development Fund to finish the construction of the remodeled barn at the Battelle District Fairgrounds in Wadestown. The $500,000 barn replaces the nearly 100-year-old structure and will be used as the main show barn for the Battelle District Fair.
“Monongalia County is a gem; it’s got urban areas and it’s got rural areas, and it’s a true West Virginia county,” said Clements in the presentation. “And I’m very pleased to help support this county and their projects within that county,” he said.
The dedication of state funds adds up to over $225,000 that was approved by both state leaders and the Monongalia County Commission. $60,000 was received through the Economic Development Assistance Grant, with $200,000 approved by the Monongalia County Commission in late 2022. The Clay-Battelle FFA Alumni Association also contributed $50,000 to add to local donations to complete a collaborative effort to replace a highly used facility in Monongalia County.
“A lot of people would believe that this is just for the western end of the county, but it’s not,” said Statler. “That barn serves the whole county; throughout, there are a lot of students who participate from all over the county that will be useful to them,” he said.
Expanded show space, extra animal storage space, and modern amenities will be some of the several additions that will be part of the new Battelle District Fairgrounds barn. The extended steel-skin barn is constructed to accommodate events both in the summer and winter with upgraded electrical systems and modernized plumbing. The facility is expected to be opened in time for the Battelle District Fair that starts on July 11 and will see immediate demand for use.
“For this year, our SAIL (4-H summer program), so far, is about 42 kids and 74 animals,” said Clay-Battelle FFA Alumni Association Treasure Krystal Spears. “If you can see into the future, I can just see so many more kids coming back into it,” she said.
The new Battelle District Fairgrounds barn will receive a formal ribbon cutting after the Battelle District Fair parade on the first day of festivities. The Clay-Battelle FFA Alumni Association will cover maintenance costs for the facility on a long-term basis and will also look to expand usage outside of hosting farming-only events. An opportunity that may not have been seen otherwise without the help of state and local leaders and the desire of local constituents to better the community.
“The Commission put you all on the spot and said, ‘We’re willing to give you money, but you’re going to have to do a lot of the legwork and find the money, and you did,” said Commission President Tom Bloom. “And the building is up; we can’t say enough about what working together has made,” he said.