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What it Is

The 3,700-square-foot facility includes a 425-square-foot kitchen, outdoor patio areas, and a covered stage. It has quickly become a popular space for community events such as weddings, graduation parties, community organization fundraisers, family reunions, indoor and outdoor concerts, and birthday parties. It is the home of the summertime Music in the Parks outdoor concert series, which attracts hundreds of guests each week who enjoy the live performances from a grassy picnic seating area.

History of the Barn

In 2007, the City of Upper Arlington started plans to create the Sunny 95 Park, hoping to include an all-purpose indoor facility.

Located in the area for the new park was the oldest farm structure in UA. Built in 1838 by Thomas Legg, the farm was used to store farm equipment, house cattle, and sell eggs to residents until 1964. The Upper Arlington Historical Society wanted to preserve this historic barn, so the Upper Arlington Community Foundation (UACF) volunteered to raise funds for a project that would turn the barn into a modern facility for the city while preserving its history.

Who Made it Possible

UACF raised more than $1 million to build the Amelita Mirolo Barn, which was gifted to the city in May 2011. Over 300 UA residents donated to the project; other major contributors included the Mirolo Charitable Foundation ($150,000 to the project) and the Northwest Kiwanis Club ($100,000).

In September 2010, hundreds of community volunteers joined the Timbers Framer Guild and members of the Friends of Ohio Barns to raise the historic barn structure and attach it to the modern entrance of the Amelito Mirolo Barn.

Legacy of Amelita Mirolo

The Barn was named after Amelita Mirolo, who was born to Italian immigrants in Grandview but lived in Upper Arlington for much of her life. The Mirolo Charitable Foundation was created in 1993, and Amelita was an active philanthropist in the community. Amelita passed away in 2006, but throughout her life she was dedicated to the arts, education, medicine, and her church. The Mirolo Charitable Foundation made a large contribution to the project because the Barn aligned with Amelita’s legacy of community and the arts.

Benefit to the City of Upper Arlington

The Amelita Mirolo Barn preserves the history of UA while creating a beautiful and useful space for members of the community to gather. For example, the UACF has held its annual Raise the Roof benefit at the Barn since its conception.

The Barn has saved the city a considerable amount of money that otherwise would have been spent renting special event spaces. The Barn serves as a permanent space for the community to host a variety of programs. External rental fees have resulted in a net revenue of over $3 million for the city as of December 2017.

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