The indoor facilities of the La Plata County Fairgrounds on north Main Avenue will be closed as the county performs renovation work on the Exhibit Hall and Extension Office buildings.
The renovations are part of the 2024 Fairgrounds Master Plan, which identified maintenance needs and potential facility improvements that enable the facility to better meet community needs, according to the plan’s website. The project is expected to wrap up on Nov. 2, with the bulk of the work being done in October.
Fairgrounds manager Emily Spencer said the facilities are receiving some much-needed updates.
“I’m just looking forward to improving this property for the residents of La Plata County,” Spencer said.
Spencer explained that parts of the fairgrounds’ Exhibit Hall and Extension Office have not been renovated since it was built in 1974. Most significantly, a new roof will be installed on the building to make it more insulated and energy efficient. Additionally, improvements will be made to the Exhibit Hall’s fire sprinkler system and the kitchen’s roll up doors.
“All of those are getting replaced, so they’ll be much more airtight and fire code status met,” Spencer said.
The building will also receive cosmetic improvements, she said. The tile step surfaces in the Extension Building’s stairs will be replaced and the paint in the building will get a face-lift. Finally, the canvas sunshades, which Spencer said weigh thousands of pounds and have to be rolled up manually by staff members, will get electric motors to roll them up.
Spencer said the renovations will be payed for by the Conservation Trust Fund, which the county has allocated $8 million for the fairgrounds. The funds come from lottery ticket funds and falls outside the county’s regular budget.
“I’m just so thrilled that we can use that money that we’ve been sitting on for years and years and years to finally improve this facility,” Spencer said. “It’s really exciting.”
Going forward, Spencer said the county plans to install ventilation fans in the pavilion building and redesign the parking lot.
Though the fairgrounds buildings are closed, all outdoor facilities will operate as normal, including the horse pavilion and the parking lot where the flea market and fruit stands operate.
“We are open for outdoor events,” Spencer said. “So people can still go to the website, LPCgov.org, and go to the fairgrounds calendar of events to see those outdoor events.”
sedmondson@durangoherald.com
