Spring is home, garden time

COEUR d’ALENE — Home owners and contractors have one thing in common

as the sun starts shining and frozen ground starts to defrost.

Spring.

And just in time, plans are well under way for the 2010 North Idaho

Building Contractors Home & Garden Show, coming March 12-14 to the

Kootenai County Fairgrounds, 4060 Government Way.

“We expect to see 3,000 to 5,000 come through the gate,” said John

Hoffman of RDI Heating and Cooling, co-chairman of the organizing

committee for the show.

The company is one of seven primary sponsors of the show. Grace Tree

Services, Ulttra-Lawn, Window World, Pro-Build, Advanced Heating and

Air Conditioning and The Coeur d’Alene Press are the others, and there

are openings for three more sponsors, with a $1,000 fee.

Booths for the show, which will fill several buildings at the

fairgrounds, are about 80 percent spoken for, but there are 10 to 15

still available, Hoffman said.

Promotion of the event has been lacking in the past couple of years,

Hoffman said, so The Press was specificially sought to get the word

out this time.

“It will be better this year,” he said.

There will be a good representation of the home improvement industry,

with an emphasis on going green.

Greg Washington, first vice president of NIBCA and owner of green

builder Courtyard Construction, has participated in the show in prior

years. It is an excellent opportunity for those in the industry to

participate, with high-quality visitors attending, he said.

“We got some jobs out of it,” he said. “It is very worthwhile.”

Some participants, such as North Idaho Masonry Hardscape, will work

with other compatible contractors, such as landscapers, to present

ideas and products of interest.

Everyone who comes through the gate will be given a treasure map that

can be taken to different booths for stamping, and one lucky person

will win a large tree, delivered and planted within reasonable range,

courtesy of Grace Tree Service, Scott Ross, committee chairman said.

Each paid admission will get a ticket for a drawing for a big-screen

TV, with additional tickets for sale.

 Unlike previous years, when coupons were circulated throughout the

city offering $1 off admission, this year the $5 admission charge will

be reduced by that amount for anyone bringing in a nonperishable item

for the food bank. Kids 12 and under will be admitted free.

“We would like to fill up their barrel,” Hoffman said.

The green concept is a first for the show, Ross said, and will include

ideas such as environmentally friendly paints and recyclable products.

The show will take a fresh approach this year, he said, with lots of

new ideas from years past.

“We’re changing a lot of stuff,” he said. “It’s going to be different

than it’s ever been.”

Booths and displays at the show range from $25 banners to $125 or $175

for trucks, outside spaces for $375 and indoor booths for $525.

Information is available at www.nibca.com