The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG – Do we see the fairgrounds as a historical site that we would like to maintain for the future or do we see it as an event and athletic site, but not necessarily historically important? That was the question posed by Fairgrounds Committee Chair Lane Hill at the opening of the committee's Sept. 12 meeting, which focused on whether the fairgrounds grandstands should be preserved or demolished.

After hearing a presentation from Rick Nicely of Pillars of Society Woodworks, LLC, who said he could restore the grandstands for just under $40,000, committee members agreed to request the council allow them time to document community philosophy, further analyze previously submitted engineering and insurance reports and determine if Nicely's proposal will meet insurance and safety requirements.

Nicely said he has worked construction in the western states for 34 years and that he and Beau Sabin have worked together for 15 years. He said they have built restaurants, big box stores, and houses, but now specialize in heritage projects.

They recently deconstructed an 1898 log cabin on Richmond Street in Dayton, and moved it to the site of the Smith Hollow Schoolhouse where it is in the process of being reconstructed. Nicely said their next project will be reconstructing a collapsed heritage barn at Bar Z Ranch on Johnson Hollow.

Nicely took exception to engineering reports submitted to the city that were based on modern-day wood, explaining that old-growth wood, like that used in the grandstands, is much stronger. Old wood had 21-30 growth rings per inch as opposed to 7-8 growth rings per inch in new wood, which makes it extremely strong, he said. He also commented that the grandstands currently contain about $53,000 of raw materials in wood and tin.

Nicely presented a diagram of his proposal to stabilize the 36 grandstand supports with concrete footings, rebar and specialized joint brackets that he said would "take care of all the engineer's worries." He said Pillars of Society Woodworks could restore the grandstands for a total of $36,400 including labor, materials, and taxes.

"We're not just shoring it up. We're putting a brand new chassis under the car if we do that," Nicely said.

Committee members also questioned submitted engineering report estimates ranging from $30,000 to $500,000 for repairs. Members wondered about the minimum requirements to meet insurance standards, and what codes the building might be exempt from due to its historical nature. They also questioned if the fact that the space below the bleachers will not be occupied, and how using the grandstands for two seasons, rather than four, could impact the quotes.

Hill proposed that the committee determine whether or not maintaining the history of the fairgrounds is of importance to the community.

"If it is, I submit that we make that our first priority and work down from there, and that we make it a part of our mission statement and master plan. It's one of the last of its kind and it is publicly owned," she said.

"The other side is just to look at it as an event or athletic site and decisions would then be made on whether or not it's able to turn a profit and is it worth the cost per square foot to keep it as a site for the city that's taking money and not really giving something back," she added.

Hill said the median age in town is 37 and many people don't know the history of the fairgrounds and grandstands. But she said it is important to imprint the history on the new generation.

"They don't have that fabric that really makes living in a town this size so beautiful. Because it really is a continuous narrative. History runs as a narrative. People are going to die and lose that narrative, but things like the grandstands and like Town Hall continue that narrative past. There is just something that we can do as a community to protect that narrative," Hill said.

Commercial Club president Joy Smith expressed the importance of getting documentable rather than anecdotal evidence about the community philosophy toward the fairgrounds and grandstands.

"I don't think the community as a whole wants to see the grandstands go. If we had facts to give them, they would be more knowledgeable about what should be done. I don't want to see it go but if it costs an outlandish amount of money I'd rather see that money go to something else. That's where the community is right now. They don't know who to believe," said committee member Denise Winnett.

The grandstands are once again a discussion/action item on the agenda at the Sept. 20 council meeting.