A. Initial Meeting April 15th, 2022 VISIT REPORT Project: Date: Present:
Volusia County Fairgrounds 21st March 2022 Bradley Burbaugh, PhD Resource Stewardship Director, UF|IFAS, ECHO Volusia Director Kalan Taylor, Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent II, UF|IFAS Trish Smith, Volusia County Planner III Ronnie Hull, Fair Manager Steve Crump, Farm Bureau Executive Director Bill Hester, Farm Bureau Prof. Martha Kohen, Director UF|CHU Maria Estefania Barrios, Research Assoc. UF|CHU
RE: Minutes from Initial Meeting / Martha Kohen (PI) and Maria Barrios (RA) _____________________________________________________________________________________ An in-person meeting was held to visit and discuss the possibilities for the site of the Volusia County Fairgrounds. Martha Kohen and Maria Barrios traveled by car for the meeting. The visit started at 9.30am with an appreciation of the excellent teaching Gardens, led by Brad Burbaugh, Trish and Kalan Taylor. The importance of agricultural education for children and youth was highlighted. The group then convened in the Auditorium and received the other participants, highlighting the presence of Bill Hester, legendary promoter in the area. The discussion was centered about each institutional representative manifesting the history, challenges, possibilities, visions, and aspirations for the future of the site. At 11.00am, the group toured the site, external and internal appreciations, parking areas, exhibition halls, arena, historical pavilion, West and South Entrance gates. A description of the buildings and grounds will be provided with our first report. The various buildings, spaces and surrounding areas were documented photographically. At 12.45pm the group reconvened in the Auditorium for lunch, offered by Bradley Burbough and staff. Finally, we formally evaluated the visit outcomes and future steps for the various participants, that will be detailed later in the report.
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