The historic Grant County Fairgrounds will be upgraded with new equipment through the help of a $40,200 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development announced State Director Vicki Walker today during a visit to John Day.
“Throughout rural America, fairgrounds provide an important space for the local community to gather and participate in a variety of educational, recreational, agricultural, and commercial activities,” Walker said. “USDA is proud to help this vital facility meet the needs of Grant County into the future.”
In continuous operation since 1909, the fairgrounds provides a venue for numerous community events, including rodeos and the longest-running county fair in the state. Last year, it also served as a staging area for a massive relief effort after the Canyon Creek Complex fire. Despite its importance to the community, the fairgrounds does not currently have a system to communicate with the large crowds that frequently utilize the space. With the grant provided through USDA’s Community Facilities Program, a public address system and three reader boards will be purchased and installed. The funding is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the grant agreement.
The new equipment will provide an effective way to communicate across this large area, ensuring the public can be notified of any issues that may arise, from incoming storms to missing children. This project will help to maintain the fairgrounds as a center for community activities for years to come.
Since 2009, USDA Rural Development has invested $11 billion to start or expand 103,000 rural businesses; help 1.1 million rural residents buy homes; fund nearly 7,000 community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care facilities; finance 180,000 miles of electric transmission and distribution lines; and help bring high-speed Internet access to nearly 6 million rural residents and businesses. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/results.