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Old 04-19-2012, 06:22 AM
 
Location: Cincinnati
4,471 posts, read 6,183,898 times
Reputation: 1303

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^^ I agree, get rid of the fair grounds, or relocate them somewhere better suited.
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Old 04-19-2012, 07:59 AM
 
Location: Covington, KY
1,898 posts, read 2,736,994 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TomJones123 View Post
^^ I agree, get rid of the fair grounds, or relocate them somewhere better suited.
Really? Why?

It's a relatively small patch of real estate that's not in the central business district even if that were vibrant. There's no potential for expansion of anything that might be put in it's place -- Miami Valley hospital is to the east, the river is to the west, and what's left of NCR is to the south.

As for claiming it's an eyesore, you can't see a thing of the grounds from South Main Street except down by the automobile entrance unless you are in aircraft overhead.

On the positive side, it's a regional social event -- farmers and others have a long history of entering their things in their local fairs and then hauling their entries to Dayton, as anyone who has ever been beyond merry-go-round well knows. The competition is stiff. Furthermore, the educational aspects are better suited to an "urban core" than a remote tract of farmland.

Tear down the fairgrounds is/was an idiot idea prompted by someone asked for ideas who couldn't think of anything sensible but who had to say something.

.
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Old 04-19-2012, 08:44 AM
 
Location: Philaburbia
41,737 posts, read 74,703,059 times
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For once I agree with Carpathian Peasant. Leave the fairgrounds alone. If anything, perhaps the county fair board should rent the place out a little more often whenever possible, to invite the public in. Make it a pleasant oasis in the middle of student/medical mayhem.

One of the first off-campus places I visited (besides Flanagan's ) was the fairgrounds. My first or second weekend at UD, a bunch of us walked down to the fair on a Saturday night. That was the first time I'd ever been to a county fair!
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Old 04-19-2012, 10:39 AM
 
Location: A voice of truth, shouted down by fools.
1,086 posts, read 2,689,724 times
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Originally when I saw this thread I was in the "tear it down and relocate" camp. I could see a new fairgrounds much better located somewhere like New Lebanon where there is farm country all around - Dayton is way too urban for a rural county fair experience. And the fairgrounds are a bit of a dump. And the fair gets its share of lowlifes from the surrounding neighborhoods. (A few years ago I went to a traveling computer equipment fair held at the fairgrounds and witnessed two morons about to beat each other up over a parking space dispute.)

But it's historic and it is the only significant patch of anything rural that is left in the city. When I grew up in Belmont there were still some old farmhouses and a few truck gardening lots around Belmont. So the fairgrounds are somewhat precious.
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Old 04-19-2012, 12:51 PM
 
Location: Cincinnati
4,471 posts, read 6,183,898 times
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Because the area around the fairgrounds is somewhat blighted and empty. The fairgrounds sits empty a lot during the year. That area is one of your main gateways to University of Dayton, which as we know, is an economic behemoth for that part of town. Sell the property to UD and select another spot, let UD build or do something with it to improve that part of town.

I used to bicycle all around that area, it goes from youthful college buzz over by the "UD ghetto" to half run down and eventually to homeless camps further by the river.
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Old 04-19-2012, 01:26 PM
 
Location: Covington, KY
1,898 posts, read 2,736,994 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TomJones123 View Post
Because the area around the fairgrounds is somewhat blighted and empty. The fairgrounds sits empty a lot during the year. That area is one of your main gateways to University of Dayton, which as we know, is an economic behemoth for that part of town. Sell the property to UD and select another spot, let UD build or do something with it to improve that part of town.

I used to bicycle all around that area, it goes from youthful college buzz over by the "UD ghetto" to half run down and eventually to homeless camps further by the river.

Oh....

I don't see that the homeless have anything to do with the matter. They're all over, maybe even wandering down your street at night.

Howabout doing something effective about the homeless, which would eliminate that consideration not only there but also a good many other places....

And, depending on what specific "blight" and "emptyness" you have in mind, why not expand the fairgrounds?
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Old 04-19-2012, 01:43 PM
 
Location: Cincinnati
4,471 posts, read 6,183,898 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CarpathianPeasant View Post
Oh....
I don't see that the homeless have anything to do with the matter. They're all over, maybe even wandering down your street at night.
FYI - they are homeless around my street during the day as well. Why don't we set up a homeless camp right by the university entrance since they bring so much to the area. Obviously, once again, you really don't know the area I am talking about, or understand my intent.

Quote:
Originally Posted by CarpathianPeasant View Post
Howabout doing something effective about the homeless, which would eliminate that consideration not only there but also a good many other places....
Sounds like a great idea. Lead the way and I will certainly follow along since I am a solution oriented person.

Quote:
Originally Posted by CarpathianPeasant View Post
And, depending on what specific "blight" and "emptyness" you have in mind, why not expand the fairgrounds?
That's a great idea, let's make the entire area all one big green space.

The blight is in parts of the surrounding neighborhood. It needs help. But you probably don't really know the area that well so my statement is lost on you.
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Old 04-19-2012, 02:09 PM
 
Location: A voice of truth, shouted down by fools.
1,086 posts, read 2,689,724 times
Reputation: 937
The fairgrounds could be improved and so could the surrounding area.

I think TomJones123 has a good point - the fairground is dead space with decrepit structures occupying valuable real estate next door to two of the few major businesses in the region.

Ideally, the fairgrounds could be cleaned up, improved, and monetized more heavily. Maybe as an urban farm or a farm within the city or a learning center. Right now, aside from the odd show that uses the space or the fall fair, it's not a destination.

But once it's gone, there goes the open space for good. That is why I am against teardown.

Has anything like a proposal for this (I mean selling off the fairgrounds) ever been floated?

Last edited by Ohioan58; 04-19-2012 at 02:27 PM..
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Old 04-19-2012, 11:24 PM
 
Location: Covington, KY
1,898 posts, read 2,736,994 times
Reputation: 607
Reply: Not quite censored, but close to it....

Quote:
Originally Posted by TomJones123 View Post
FYI - they are homeless around my street during the day as well. Why don't we set up a homeless camp right by the university entrance since they bring so much to the area. Obviously, once again, you really don't know the area I am talking about, or understand my intent.
Since I said "depending on what specific "blight" and "emptyness" you have in mind," you are correct that it's obvious I don't really know the area you are talking about.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TomJones123 View Post
Sounds like a great idea. Lead the way and I will certainly follow along since I am a solution oriented person.
You want me to tell you what to do about the homeless?

Okay....

The illustrious state of Ohio once declared me qualified to do social work -- not casework, social work, there are technical differences -- not that I ever had a serious desire to go count the loaves of bread in someone's house and which like other things is not the business of anyone on this board at the moment.

However, I'm not going to get into any dissertations about what all needs to be done. I am only going to point out a couple of things. You can follow any leads that come to mind.

Police departments operate around the clock all week long. Hospitals operate around the clock all week long. Even some enterprising businesses operate around the clock all week long. However, organizations that might keep some people less in need of either the police or hospitals, namely social service organizations, with a few minor exceptions, operate rather according to banker's hours. While they often occupy themselves issuing money, think on that one.

If you want ideas of what might be done, it's rather acknowledge that what Buddy Gray put together in Cincinnati (along with affiliates like the homeless newspaper there) is one of the best approaches in the country. You don't have to go any farther than Cincinnati.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TomJones123 View Post
That's a great idea, let's make the entire area all one big green space.

The blight is in parts of the surrounding neighborhood. It needs help. But you probably don't really know the area that well so my statement is lost on you.
Well, I have been through a few places in "inner southeast Dayton" and am all ears as to what you have in mind. If you'd care to explain a bit more, maybe your statement wouldn't be lost on me. As for knowing any area "that well," I wouldn't say I know the "retirement community" apartment building I'm sitting in "that well."

Not quite censored, but close to it....
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Old 04-19-2012, 11:30 PM
 
Location: Covington, KY
1,898 posts, read 2,736,994 times
Reputation: 607
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohioan58 View Post
The fairgrounds could be improved and so could the surrounding area.

I think TomJones123 has a good point - the fairground is dead space with decrepit structures occupying valuable real estate next door to two of the few major businesses in the region.

Ideally, the fairgrounds could be cleaned up, improved, and monetized more heavily. Maybe as an urban farm or a farm within the city or a learning center. Right now, aside from the odd show that uses the space or the fall fair, it's not a destination.

But once it's gone, there goes the open space for good. That is why I am against teardown.

Has anything like a proposal for this (I mean selling off the fairgrounds) ever been floated?
The idea of getting rid of the fairgrounds has been around at least twenty years that I know of, and I have never been in any inner circle of "political thought." That's plenty of time for a vast assortment of angles.
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