La Plata County will celebrate its 150th birthday in 2024 and for 75 of those years, the La Plata County Fair has celebrated the rich agricultural and rural heritage of the county. The fair builds tomorrow’s leaders through the vast offerings of 4-H and Future Farmers of America programming. The fair uniquely brings together urban and rural residents and visitors, and is a showcase annual event that thousands of people benefit from.
Recently, we had to make a series of difficult decisions many years in the making. On Sept. 21, La Plata County notified the fair board that the county was not willing to assume the liability risk to hold the demolition derby in the Fairgrounds Rodeo Arena. This issue moved to the forefront in 2021 and again in 2022, following requests from the fair board to allow 16- and 17-year-old drivers to participate in the derby.
This question was brought to the county’s insurance provider and the company raised a set of questions as to whether the rodeo arena was a suitable site for the demolition derby. The main concern was a lack of adequate protection for spectators from potential flying debris from the vehicles, as well as injuries to animals in the arena after a derby.
The commissioners directed the staff to find an expert who could assess the arena to determine if there was any way(s) for these dual uses to safely occur at one site. After an exhaustive search, no credible expert could be found. Also, the insurance company required erecting a 10-foot-high fence, which would have been very costly and compromise the viewing of other events. Most importantly, as stewards of taxpayers’ funds, a potential unpaid insurance claim could dramatically impact the county’s financial position and impact any number of other services the county provides.
La Plata County will help in this transition because the derby is an important source of revenue for the fair. Staff is helping research alternate events and we provide $15,000 in funding annually to the fair board. Commissioner Matt Salka was recently appointed to serve in a liaison role to the fair board and is already busy outreaching to stakeholders.
Another decision we made was not to move the Fairgrounds to Ewing Mesa. This is because the cost to relocate the fairgrounds in its entirety would be $80 million or likely higher. This decision immediately frees up $6.2 million in lottery funds to improve our current Fairgrounds.
Those improvements are already underway. This summer, a number of upgrades were made prior to the fair. In 2024, we will complete a Fairgrounds Master Plan, a process that will kick off in the spring. For this planning process to be successful, we need the sustained engagement of the 4-H community, all Fairgrounds and Senior Center adjacent neighbors – anyone who cares about this crown-jewel property.
The county commissioners want to see a successful fair and we want the Fairgrounds to be dramatically improved. We care deeply about 4-H, and the rich traditions of the agricultural and rural communities. Please, help us make the Fairgrounds a place that all can enjoy for the next 75 years and beyond.
La Plata County commissioners Clyde Church, District 1; Marsha Porter-Norton, District 2; Matt Salka, District 3.
