Up in lights

Improvements to the county fairgrounds continue this year with two significant projects: a complete replacement of all lighting and an all-new show/sale ring.

"We're doing a lighting enhancement project. It's all-new LED lights, exterior and interior in every building," says Facilities Maintenance Supervisor Larry Schommer of the first project.

"All the incandescent, fluorescent lights are getting replaced."

The project is funded through a Wyoming Department of Energy grant. The 'WyLight' grant aims to promote energy-saving initiatives, so the idea of replacing all the older lighting fit right in with that purpose.

"That's what the grant was really geared for," he says. "It was a no-brainer for them, they didn't have to think about it very long."

The grant was for $25,000 with a $2500 match. The process also included the loan of some expertise from the Department of Energy in the form of a thorough inspection of the fairground buildings, power bills and more.

This is done, says Schommer, "to determine if it's a worthwhile avenue for them to go down."

The recommendations made for the lighting were then based on what had been determined during the inspection.

"It really knocks down a lot of the research that we need to do," he says.

As well as replacing current fixtures, the project will see additional lighting options installed at the fairgrounds.

"We're adding more lights in the outdoor rodeo arena, we're adding a light over the RV dump station so that it can be lit up at night," he says.

Overall, the project is intended to not only ensure the fairgrounds are better lit, but also increase energy efficiency and save some dollars for the county. The shooting sports building, for example, has an energy bill of somewhere around $400 per month; Schommer estimates the upgrades could shave a quarter or more from this total.

As the second project gets underway, the L-barn next to the pig barn began to disappear this weekend, having been auctioned off to a private buyer. Once removed, it will be replaced with a new outdoor show and sale ring.

"We'll set up the sale/show ring and we're adding more panels, so it's going to be bigger, and then we will have four sets of bleachers around it for a lot more seating," Schommer says.

"This will be our permanent spot for the sale show."

The structure will also increase the efficiency and ease of setting up before fair, he adds.

The decision to remove the L-barn was based on the fact that, "It really wasn't needed," Schommer explains.

"They stored panels in it and, during the fair, they had some stations in there where they could shear and groom. With that L-barn gone, and moving the sale show ring outside, all of that can be put inside [the big barn]," he says.

"We won't be able to store panels there, but they'll have enough room for all of the animals in the big barn and we won't have to move them outside."

This part of the project will be funded through the county maintenance budget, with assistance from the proceeds of the auction. The cost has also been reduced through the fact that it will be the responsibility of the new owners of the L-barn to tear it down and move it.

The buyer has until mid-May to remove the L-barn.

"Once it's gone, we'll be starting on this," Schommer says.

The process will begin by stripping the sand, which was donated by Croell Companies last year, then re-grading the area to provide better drainage. The sand will then be replaced and the structure set up on top of it.

Schommer estimates that the whole thing can be completed within two or three weeks.

"Then we're adding new lights right near the pig barn – we're putting in two new poles – and we're having LED lights shine down onto the show ring and another one to shine back onto the tie-out area," he says.

This year's upgrades are part of an ongoing project to improve the fairgrounds, increasing energy efficiency and making them more usable. Schommer is looking at areas such as the outdoor rodeo arena for potential future improvements.