The Whidbey Fairgrounds and Event Center was created for the Island County Fair. Private businesses that lease space there should be required to make room for the annual summer Fair event, rather than what happened this year, when the Fair was forced to make space for private businesses on this public property.
For more than 100 summers Whidbey residents and visitors have come together to celebrate our island community on the fairgrounds in Langley. Now the Whidbey Area Fair, this showcase of family fun, local talent, 4=H kids and animals, homemade arts and crafts, local businesses and civic organizations has been the foundation of this event.
The Port of South Whidbey took over public stewardship of this property in 2017, contingent upon a successful property tax levy increase from the voters in their district.
Continued investments in the fair property are needed to keep it safe, but this needs to be done with respect for the blood, sweat, tears, and public tax dollars that have sustained it over time. The Island County Commissioners included language in the transfer documents that made it clear that the Fair itself was vital to this community, and the use of this property for that purpose would be protected into the future.
Yet, that is not what we saw this year. Priority rental contracts were given to local businesses long before the Fair Association’s contract was renewed. The Port has demanded that the Fair use less space, have less time, and offered no reduction in fees. Fairgoers saw how the Port District officials took away much of the Malone and Burrier buildings’ display space this year.
The Port of South Whidbey is moving away from their agreement to manage the Fairgrounds and Event Center, and instead are prioritizing year-round private enterprise over the annual Fair in the use of this publicly-funded space. They intend to continue on the path to squeeze the Fair’s use of the space.
The annual Fair event cannot continue without the solid support of its landlord.
If you agree, let the Port Commissioners know they need to be good stewards of not just the fairgrounds, but also the reason it exists: the Fair.
Helen Price Johnson
Clinton
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