The Josephine County Fair Board has created a master plan for the Fairgrounds that was on display in the center of the Commercial Building at last week's fair.
In 2017, the Fair Board recognized the need for a Master Plan to determine priorities for making improvements to aging facilities and utilities to assure the Fairgrounds would continue to serve the community for generations to come.
In 2019, the design team of PLACE and Gerlitz Engineering Consultants began to develop a comprehensive 15-year Master Plan. Presentations were made to business leaders, county and city administration, and many others. Input was gathered as well.
In 2021, the Josephine County Fairgrounds & Event Center Master Plan was adopted by the Fair Board and endorsed by the Board of Commissioners. It reflects the vision of the Fair Board and the community while providing an analysis of current and future needs of the facilities, programs and services as well as an implementation strategy and budgets.
In 2023, the Friends of the Josephine County Fairgrounds, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, agreed to partner with the Fairgrounds to attempt to find funding sources through grants and donations.
The Fair Board has determined that the first major building should be a Livestock Pavilion to replace the current barns. This will be a multi-use building that can be used year-round for a variety of events.
The Fairgrounds Master Plan strives to maintain those buildings that are still usable. Those that are nearing the end of their safe life span will be replaced with buildings that are easier to maintain. The focus will be on multi-use facilities rather than single-use buildings. Public input is always welcome at: "josephinecountyfairgrounds.com."
