Noticeable progress is happening on the Greene County Fairgrounds for a couple of projects to improve some facilities.

The oldest horse barn on the south end of the fairgrounds was demolished and construction of a new horse barn is happening west of the horse arena. Greene County Fair Board Vice President Katlynn Mechaelsen says they received a $500,000 Grow Greene County Gaming Corporation pledge over four years to help with building a new horse barn, as well as replacing the older structure with something new.

“The most dire need, I think that we could argue, is a new restroom that (has) air conditioning, that has shower stalls for these kids who are there all week. Right now, there are no air conditioning showering stalls on the grounds. So this is something that we hear you guys, and your requests and your needs. It takes a little bit, we’re all volunteers.”     

Mechaelsen gives more insight into why the Fair Board is pushing forward with building a new horse facility.

“It’s too small. The horses are too large to even fit in the stalls. A lot of the stalls remain empty, not because we don’t have the need for them, it’s just because these horses that are attending the fair are larger than what the stalls can hold.”  

Mechaelsen points out that these two projects are continuing with what the prior fair boards did starting in 2014 by replacing the updated and older livestock barns. She says future plans for the fairgrounds includes replacing the administrative building and current restrooms with an educational center that also has air conditioned restrooms, as well as a covered horse arena and expanding the rabbit/poultry and sheep and goat barns. Mechaelsen adds that the new horse barn and restroom is scheduled to be completed by the 2026 Greene County Fair in July.