Stark County park board directs bids for 12,000‑sq‑ft red‑iron livestock building and auxiliary stall barns

The Stark County Park Board voted to solicit bids for a 12,000‑square‑foot red‑iron livestock building at the county fairgrounds and authorized plans for two additional 30‑by‑100 stall buildings to be added later if funding allows.

Board members approved the bid package after a multi‑hour discussion of four options ranging from keeping an existing 22,000‑sq‑ft building with full fire suppression to smaller pole‑barn and steel options. Park staff presented cost estimates prepared by a contractor: the keep‑existing option with suppression at about $1.6 million, a 15,000‑sq‑ft pole barn at about $900,000, a down‑sized 7,500‑sq‑ft pole barn at about $550,000, and a 12,000‑sq‑ft red‑iron building at about $950,000.

Why it matters: Park leaders and fair organizers told the board they expect higher usage of a durable, flexible space and said available grant funding (House Bill 1591) could contribute to construction. The board’s decision narrows the project toward a mid‑range capital investment that avoids the recurring maintenance and sprinkler‑system complexity of the largest option.

Board discussion: Park staff described four schematic options and asked the board to select two to take to bid. A representative of the fair association and a 4‑H representative said they preferred either the original 22,000‑sq‑ft plan or the 12,000‑sq‑ft red‑iron option for long‑term flexibility. Park staff and contractors explained that wood‑frame pole barns larger than 7,500 sq ft require fire‑suppression systems; switching to red iron raises per‑square‑foot costs but allows a 12,000‑sq‑ft limit without sprinklers, reducing maintenance complexity. The board weighed tradeoffs between initial cost, long‑term versatility and restrictions on other uses posed by some fire‑separation solutions (for example, a movable firewall that could trigger doors and shut parts of the building).

Decision and next steps: The board voted to solicit bids for the 12,000‑sq‑ft red‑iron building (option 4) and authorized bidding the two auxiliary 30‑by‑100 stall buildings (option 3 style) as a second project. Park staff said they will request formal bids and return with cost estimates and a recommended award; fundraising remains necessary for the largest options and for full build‑out beyond the board’s current allocation. The board noted an earlier county allocation of $1.2 million toward fairgrounds improvements and discussed seeking matching funds and grants to cover remaining costs.

Quotes: "If the county wants to rent it out for boat storage or something, it could," said a fair association representative describing flexible uses for removable stall panels. Park staff warned that a 22,000‑sq‑ft red‑iron building would push the project into a different cost tier and bring fire‑suppression requirements.

Ending: Park staff will prepare bid documents for the red‑iron building and for the separate stall buildings, then advertise for contractors. The board asked staff to return when bids are in so members can compare costs, fundraising possibilities and timelines.