Kitsap County Parks will celebrate completion of upgrades to
the equestrian arena at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds with a ribbon-cutting
ceremony at noon, July 30 at the north end of the fairgrounds (enter off Nels
Nelson Road) during a break in the Pre-Fair Miniature Horse Show which opens at
10 a.m..
The celebration will honor Harry and Jayne Boand who donated
funds for a new roof 2015. In recognition of their generosity, the facility
will be known as the Harry and Jayne Boand Equestrian Arena. The construction
and upgrades to the 130-by-260-foot arena were completed by the end of 2016 and
will be put to good use for the miniature horse events during the upcoming 2017
Kitsap Fair and Stampede August 23-27.
The arena is now large enough to host horse shows and equestrian
competitions all year. In addition to a new 33,800 square-foot roof over the
arena, fencing, lighting, stormwater management and signage were improved, and
the electrical system upgraded, thanks to donations and deep discounts from
local businesses and individuals. A new announcer’s booth was also installed.
The improvements were first proposed by Ron Gascoyne, a
volunteer with the fair’s mini-horse program who owns Seven Wells Ranch in
Seabeck. He saw the need for local 4-H clubs and equestrian organizations to
have a facility that could be used year-round. “There were no large covered
arenas like that in the whole county or the neighboring ones,” he said. So he applied
for a grant from the Boand Family Foundation and was awarded $500,000. The
Kitsap Community Foundation stepped up to serve as fiscal manager of the grant
and oversee construction on behalf of the Parks Department.
“The foundation is ecstatic to be a part of creating the
first public equestrian arena in the county that has a roof,” said Kitsap
Community Foundation Executive Director Kol Medina.
Not only did Mr. Gascoyne find funding, he also donated his
time to manage the project, sought out a cost-efficient roof kit with
pre-engineered plans, and oversaw hiring of a contractor. The Board of County
Commissioners bestowed special recognition to him July 10 for his
contributions.
Other donors to the arena upgrades included: Puget Sound
Energy with a $7,500 grant for LED lighting; Graybar Electric Co. for light
fixtures; Viking Fence for fencing and installation; Lowe’s of Silverdale for
discounted lighting and plants; Asbury’s Topsoil for landscaping materials; MAP
LTD for assistance in site plans and a stormwater management plan; Rock Cement
Co. for discounted cement; Keith Humond for signage; Silver Spurs for signage
funding; RV & Associates for fill dirt; Mike Hawley for hydro grass
seeding; and Ed Marshal of Peninsula Pole for discounted electrical upgrades.
The Parks Department is working with other organizations to take
over operations of the facility.
For more information on the Kitsap County Fair
& Stampede Aug. 23-27, visit https://spf.kitsapgov.com/parks/Pages/FairMain.aspx .
For additional information about Kitsap County Parks, go to www.kitsapgov.com/parks.
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