DATE: Monday, June 16, 1997                 TAG: 9706160041

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY KATRICE FRANKLIN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   55 lines

OLD FAIRGROUNDS MAY HELP REVIVE COMMUNITY, AGAIN AFTER A 14-YEAR LULL, SUFFOLK GROUP WANTS TO REDEVELOP SITE.

The third week of October, from 1910 to 1983, every African American who could get there converged on the 23-acre black fairgrounds - across the railroad tracks on East Washington Street, near downtown.

There were crop, quilting, sewing and baking contests and harness riding. Everyone wanted their talents to shine.

``People really looked forward to it, and we had judges who handed out blue, red and white ribbons for first, second and third places,'' recalled Ruby H. Walden. ``There were so many folks that it was a big boost to the Rosemont community,'' the black neighborhood that hosted the fair.

The fair site was purchased by local blacks to uplift their community in the days of segregation. Whites held their annual fair off White Marsh Road.

As times changed and people began to buy televisions and travel in cars, the simplicity of the fair lost its appeal.

Now, 14 years after the last carnival was held, descendants of the original landowners again want to use the land to revive the black community.

The owners, Suffolk and Franklin residents who used to attend and work at the fairs, plan a development including apartment buildings for the elderly and others, a community watch building, a day care center, basketball and tennis courts, and a swimming pool.

The group, known as the Tidewater Fair Association, says it wanted a project that would have an economic impact on the community.

The city and the Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority have been trying for some time to redevelop downtown and rehabilitate older neighborhoods. Suffolk is building a $14 million courthouse downtown, and the housing authority is looking at redeveloping The Professional Building.

They have been hoping to get others involved in neighborhood rehabilitation. In November, they selected their first neighborhood to rehabilitate: Orlando. A plan is under way.

The Rosemont community is near downtown Suffolk and Orlando.

Harold Barnes, the group's attorney, said that once the development is built, local residents will be hired to run and care for the facilities. The day care center can serve residents' children. The community watch building can house neighborhood policing groups. And other facilities will provide recreation.

The whole project, members say, will reflect their credo.

``We want people to do their best in everything,'' said Walden. ``This will be one of the best projects in Suffolk, one that will add jobs, and it will be a start in the redevelopment of Rosemont.''

Barnes said the total project should cost about $14 million. The association's developers, Tidewater Fair Downs, LLC, plan to borrow money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The project should take about two years.

Tidewater Fair Association Inc. will present its plan at 2 p.m. Tuesday to the Planning Commission. It will then go before the City Council at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

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