Jefferson County Fairgrounds set to break ground on new show barn
MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Jefferson County Fair Complex is excited to be breaking ground on the new BiMart Show Barn this month. A groundbreaking ceremony will take place at the fairgrounds on Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 9 a.m. in the southeast field. Several dignitaries, including Senator Lynn Finley, county and city officials will be present.
At 14,000 square feet, this structure will be the biggest building constructed at the property in over 70 years. It will feature state-of-the-art LED lighting, lots of electrical outlets, water spigots, a sound system, WiFi, and an ADA viewing area.
“In 2020, we had to take down the old Livestock Barn, which was in very poor shape and became unsafe to occupy. At the same time, we began dreaming about what we could do to replace that lost structure. It is a true partnership with the community to make this $375,000 structure come to fruition”, says Brian Crow, Fairgrounds Event Coordinator. “The Fair Board, County Commissioners, 4H, FFA, the Jefferson County Livestock Association and the generosity of the business community”
A total of $375,000 has been raised from community partners for the project. “Our community sponsors are BiMart, Bright Wood Corporation, Plateau Travel Plaza, The City of Madras, Jefferson County Livestock Association, The Law Offices of Jered Reid, Signet Realty, Abbas Well Drilling, Madras FFA Alumni and Wilbur Ellis”, says Crow. “This community continues to impress me by showing up and supporting our kids.”
Originally slated to be completed in time for the 2021 County Fair, a steel supply chain issue delayed the beginning of construction. The County rented a large tent to serve as the show barn for this year’s fair.
“Over the last two years, we have had laser-like focus on what we can do to improve our facilities within our operating budget and fundraising efforts,” said Crow. “We started with the complete rebuilding of our hog wash station. We extended the beef wash racks to accommodate more livestock, rehabilitated the Sheep Barn and current Show Barn with new LED lighting and structural repairs. We also installed new gates for the Small Animal Barn. Last summer we completed the construction of our new picnic pavilion. As you can see, we are working hard to keep the Fairgrounds a vital part of our community by continuing to upgrade and replace our aging facilities.”
Six additional sponsorships of the Show Barn are available starting at $20,000 (10 years @ $2,000). This includes promotional recognition on one of the structural posts for a 10-year period.
To keep up with the construction progress, follow the Fairground’s Facebook page at: facebook.com/jeffersoncountyfaircomplex.
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