Ellsworth Chamber told Pierce County Fair seeks info from groups using grounds

Chamber told fair seeks info from groups using grounds

By Bill Kirk

Pierce County Fair Coordinator Ann Webb discussed with Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce members Thursday information being sought from organizations using the county fairgrounds.

Special groups rent the grounds at non-fair times, Webb said. The county fair committee wants to know their plans for such usage ahead of time so contracts can be adjusted accordingly.

“In the fair, we are a business,” she said.

The fair office is surveying six major non-fair time rental organizations for advance information, the coordinator said (the chamber is one of the six as a user for its Ellsworth Cheese Curd Festival). The survey asks for the name of each organization, its address, the main contact person, a description of its event, dates the event will be open to the public and the number of days the group will need the grounds before and after those dates.

It asks for a list detailing all activities happening during the event, too, she said. It inquires whether there will be camping and whether the user has a plan in place in case of medical, police or bad weather emergencies. Survey responses are due back at the fair office by this Saturday, after which county officials will review and act on them.

Webb also announced two major improvement projects on the grounds, expected to be completed next year. A new exhibit building is to be built in place of the former Quonset hut just east of the Seyforth Building, which has been removed. Bleachers in the middle section of the grandstand are to be replaced as well.

Answering a question, she said the new section of bleachers won’t have an overhead roof due to budgetary considerations, but footings will be installed to make this possible in the future.

Read more in the print version of the Herald Oct. 29.

Tags: news, ellsworth, piercecountyfairgrounds, usersurvey