New agriculture center and rodeo arena in the works for Walton County
WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) — A new agricultural educational center is in the works for Walton County. County Commissioners approved an 83 to 85-acre lot off Highway 90 for the Walton County…
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A new agricultural educational center is in the works for Walton County.
County Commissioners approved an 83 to 85-acre lot off Highway 90 for the Walton County Future Farmers of America Program.
“We’re a county that was originally based on agriculture and we don’t even have an agricultural facility in our area, it’s crazy,” said Amber Proffitt, Teacher, and wife of Joe Proffitt.
The dedication is step one in creating a new rodeo arena and education center.
“Now that we have the OK to do it, we can start to look at people that give grants for these kinds of facilities for FFA, for the education, agricultural education. So now it’s just about collecting money basically,” said Proffitt.
The new center is slated to have a covered arena, livestock facility, education building with labs and classrooms, a bathhouse, grass fields, a stormwater area, and an amphitheater.
Another reason for this site is to host the Walton County Fair, creating a midway section on the property.
“We just wanted to be nice and be nice for the kids and safe in that in that area, we really could make it so the fair as it comes is larger, it can be a bigger facility and they can bring more stuff too,” said Proffitt.
At the Westonwood Ranch in Freeport, they say a new rodeo arena and agriculture center is needed in the area.
“I think overall it is a fantastic project for this county. When we moved here and started our fundraiser here in Freeport and it’s a professionally sanctioned rodeo, we were always concerned in the back of our mind, what if it rains? So we had no contingency plan because we’re hosting our rodeo out in an open field and we have to bring in bleacher sets and you know the whole 9 yards. So having a dedicated facility in this county that could be used for all types of AG purposes, I think is a remarkable project and we’re looking forward to hearing more about it,” said Lindy Wood, owner of Westonwood Ranch.
The donated land is estimated to cost between $800,000 and $1 million.
Once funded- the project will take 3 to 5 years to complete.
