New Ag Pavilion To Be Built In Fentress County

The Fentress County U.T. Extension Office will use a $150,000 state grant to build a new agriculture pavilion.

John Gunter is the Director of the Fentress County U.T. Extension Office. He said the project will be one of the largest ever for the office.

“There’s never been anything like this on this scale. I guess a few years back we remodeled and became more handicap accessible, so this is a monumental step in terms of that,” Gunter said. “We hope and think this facility will be something that our county can be really proud. We hope it will bring folks in from other places and put us on par with some of the better facilities in our region.”

The facility will include an arena for livestock, a large auditorium, and office space for extension personnel. Gunter said the project provides the 4-H program a place to hold events and competitions.

“If we’re not investing in the future of our kids, especially in agriculture, I think we’re missing the mark,” Gunter said. “There’s nothing wrong with other disciplines. I think its great to be well-rounded in other things, but we really need to try to encourage and foster learning experiences within the agriculture realm for these young people.”

The County donated 20-acres near the bypass for the purpose of constructing the new pavilion. Gunter said the county has already began working with an engineer to finalize a design program for the facility.

“I assume they will run an open bidding process for contractors that may be interested in taking on that project,” Gunter said. “It’ll be a large project, so we expect some interest from several places in that area.”

The Fentress County U.T. Extension Office received the grant from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.