Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Thanks to money Freeborn County received for COVID-19 relief, the county is investing money into one-time improvements at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds. 

Freeborn County Engineer Phil Wacholz said work began Aug. 15 and this fall will include construction of new storm sewer line and the replacement of water main on the fairgrounds.

Wacholz said the old water main was about 80 years old, corresponding to when the Grandstand was built. He noted during the 2021 fair, there was a water main leak, which is a major concern for such a large event, affecting everything from food stands to restrooms to people showing animals.

“It’s critical infrastructure just like any other water main in the city,” he said. 

Over the course of the last 10 years, storm water at the fairgrounds has also been an issue, leading to a large amount of inflow and infiltration in the sanitary sewer system during heavy rains. He said the county committed to doing a storm water project to get as much of that water out of the sanitary sewer and direct it through a new storm sewer line that ultimately connects to the new line on Bridge Avenue. 

The water main and storm sewer project costs about $400,000. 

Wacholz said the board had previously dedicated $750,000 toward sewer and water work and pavement restoration at the fairgrounds. 

The pavement project, which will be completed in the spring, will include fixing the areas over the water main project, as well as an overlay on top of existing pavement. It will also incorporate paving the whole U-shape of the Midway area and extending blacktop to a couple other areas where it stops short of where it needs to be, he said. The estimate for that work is $500,000. 

He said he will return to the county board to request additional money to make sure there is enough to complete that paving project and will also come before the board to ask for funds to support additional projects at the fairgrounds. The projects combined total $1.5 million, including the $500,000 for the paving. The funds would likely come from excess fund balance. 

The other projects include the following:

• Installation of cameras for surveillance both during the fair and year-round. 
• Concrete repairs to increase accessibility and remove trip hazards.
• Replacement of some fencing along Richway Drive.
• Repairs of the west facade of the Grandstand, which includes painting, at minimum.
• Adding a new bathroom building to serve campers and fair traffic near the Creative Arts & Foods and Commercial buildings.
• Work on the maintenance shed at the fairgrounds.

Wacholz said the paving is expected to take place in June with the other projects finished in time for the fair in 2023. 

“The fairgrounds is a very important asset to our community as a whole,” Wacholz said. “We see lots of events throughout the year.”

He said the fair board does a good job of bringing in different types of rentals and community events, and he is grateful for the support the county board has done in keeping up the grounds.