Butler County Fair Board of Directors President Doug Tuner said the grandstands needed updating to keep visitors safe.
“It was crumbling and the decision was to either fix it or totally disband and tear it down,” Turner said. “We were fortunate enough to get the money and rebuild it.”
Improvements were made to the concrete inside and out. Turner said before the renovations, the health department was worried about people sitting in the seats.
While the funding was not used to update seating, attendees will see a difference in their surroundings. Renovations revealed rectangles and diamonds around the edges of the stands that were covered up with years of paint.
Other renovations include updated steps and patchwork on the roofing.
A plaque commemorating the construction of the grandstands in 1913 has also been renovated and preserved, something that Turner said was important to the community.
“If you look, it was built in the year of the flood,” he said. “It’s amazing with the floods that happened, that this was built during that.”
Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dan Bates said he was happy the project could preserve a piece of history locals can connect with.
“I think it’s very key that we are really intentionally preserving the history of the building,” Bates said.
Bates added he hopes people who had grown up going to the fairgrounds could make new memories with the restored grandstands.
“When I see people from here who were raised on being out here on a regular basis every year at the grandstand and hear the memories when they see the building, it’s pretty cool,” Bates said. “It’s important to refurbish it, bring it up to date and continue that.”
Bates said the organizations that made this restoration possible are looking for more funding to continue updating the facilities.
How to go
What: Butler County Fair
Where: 1715 Fairgrove Ave., Hamilton
Hours: 7 a.m.-11 p.m. today through Saturday, July 27
Cost: General daily admission is $10 per person and $5 for children ages 6-12 accompanied by adults. There are multi-day passes for seven and four days priced at $35 and $25 respectively. All admission has parking included.
Other details: Seniors older than 62 and veterans will have free admission on Wednesday, July 24. Saturday, July 27 will have a discounted price of $5 for adults and free admission for children ages 6-12. For grandstand events, attendees pay $10-$15 while children’s tickets are $5. A grandstand wristband for all events is $40 (adults) and $15 (children).
About the Author