ROME TOWNSHIP — The theme that resonated through the Thursday groundbreaking ceremony was simple: This isn’t a barn the community wants, instead it is a barn the community needs.

“The true heart of the fair lies in the fair barn,” Les Boggs, Lawrence County Commissioner, said during the commencement ceremony on Thursday. “The true legacy of the fair will continue with this barn.”

The fair board began taking pledges during last summer’s fair to cover the cost of the $400,000 barn.

“We’ve been talking about this for the last two years,” said Jim Gore, Lawrence County Fair Board president. “We’ve been taking pledges since last year.”

The 24,000-square-foot structure should be open by June 1. There will be two crews, about 14 people altogether, working on the barn.

“This is something that we’ve needed for a long time,” Gore said.

Thursday was the first step toward reaching a lot of goals.

“This is a very special day for me,” Freddie Hayes, Lawrence County commissioner, said. “We pledged to take this fairground forward. This is something we need. I’m very proud today.”

In September, the Lawrence County Commissioners agreed to issue a 10-year bond for $400,000, acting as the fiscal agent for the fair board.

“This day means everything,” Gore said.