SPRINGFIELD: County breaks ground on fair site

Burlington County Freeholders on Wednesday officially broke ground on the construction of the County Fairgrounds open space site in Springfield Township – a venue which ultimately will include show facilities, walkways, parking and a road network for year-round events, festivals and public recreation.
“This is economic stimulus of the highest order,” said Freeholder Bill Haines.  “Not only will this project provide jobs for more than 50 construction workers, it will further the County’s objective of providing cost-free recreational opportunities to families close to home.
Representatives from the project’s architectural firm, Stantec Inc. of Mount Laurel, attended the groundbreaking, as well as the contractor, E. Sambol Corporation of Toms River, local officials and groups such as 4-H, Burlington County Kennel Club, Future Farmers of America BCIT students and Farm Fair organizers, according to a county press release
Mr. Haines said in a press release the site was originally destined to become a development of more than 600 houses, and would have “increased in no small way the taxpayer impact across the region for schools, roads, utilities and other government service costs.”  Instead the county purchased the site from Sod Farm Associates in 2004.
“The difference between this stimulus plan and the others you are hearing about is that this one is being done with dedicated open space funds that Burlington County voters approved, not an unsolicited gift from the federal government,” Mr. Haines said. 
Construction of this first phase is expected to take about one year and it is anticipated that the Burlington County Farm Fair will be scheduled as the inaugural event for the Fairgrounds site in July 2010, according to the county.  The Farm Fair has outgrown its current site at the Lumberton Green off Route 541.
“The Fairgrounds will be a gateway to the County’s farmbelt and a great new home of the Farm Fair with a convenient location allowing easy access from anywhere in the area,” said Bill Spicer, Farm Fair manager.
In addition to the Farm Fair, the County Fairgrounds will be available for local and regional groups to exhibit livestock and run shows and festivals such as 4-H equestrian events, dog shows, agricultural, food and music festivals.
Plans call for part of the 640-acre site to also provide a trailhead for people to access trails on the property as well as the County’s regional trail network, eventually connecting the site to Arney’s Mount, the county’s highest peak, about four miles to the southeast.
The construction contract was awarded to E. Sambol Corporation of Toms River for $6.2 million from the dedicated trust fund.  The County had received an unprecedented number of bids on the project and the lowest responsible bidder was almost $3.5 million below the engineer’s cost estimate.