MOUNT VERNON — The Knox County Board of Commissioners met Thursday afternoon with Dennis Rawson and Bill Conrad of the Amish Gateway Byway Association to discuss the viability of a temporary welcome center for the county.
Kim Marshall, director of the Knox County Parks District and Patrick Crow of the Knox County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, also attended.
Rawson read a prepared statement touting numerous economic benefits which increased tourism would bring to the county — benefits which he said would also preserve the agricultural heritage of the county. Rawson also noted that Amish country is the second-largest tourism industry in the state of Ohio; only Cedar Point in Sandusky draws more tourists. Increased tourism in Knox County, said Rawson, would “[improve] the plight of so many of the residents who have limited access to good-paying, steady incomes.”
These potential benefits led to the discussion of a welcome center in northeastern Knox County.
“The welcome center can and will draw travelers from Ohio and far beyond,” Rawson said. “We don’t want folks just passing through, we want them to stop and take advantage of all that is offered here in Knox County.”
Conrad presented statistics from the log book at the Bridge of Dreams, noting the number of visitors and the distance they traveled.
“This is impressive,” he said, referring to the statistics, which show that more than 900 people visited the Bridge of Dreams from numerous states and foreign countries in a two-month period. “It shows that we have a very strong marketing opportunity with these people coming through.”
He also said the information showed that people were passing through the county, “and they’re basically heading to the Amish area [in other counties] not knowing that we have Amish in our area.” According to Conrad, a preliminary committee has been set up to try to organize U.S. 62 and Ohio 514 into a similar association as the Wally Road Byway Association.
Conrad said Knox County has a unique opportunity with its location and current attractions. Rawson said several organizations throughout the county were interested in the proposed welcome center.
“We’ve reached out to folks, not just in eastern Knox County,” said Rawson.
He also said the Knox County Career Center and the Knox County Art League were interested in participating in the project in the future.
Because the county was not able to secure a grant to fund the construction of a permanent welcome center, a temporary welcome center was proposed. Rawson and Conrad said they had secured a building, owned by Marvin Keim and located east of Danville, to serve as a temporary welcome center until funding is available for a more permanent location.
Rawson and Conrad requested $200 a month for two years from the commissioners, which would be used for the rental of the building; some of the money would also be used to fund the purchase of signage. After some discussion, a one-time grant of $2,500, which would be channeled through the CVB, which would then distribute it for the signage and rent, was approved by the commissioners. It is anticipated the grant will be funded by June 1.
