RV park at fairgrounds expected to be ready for summer

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

COEUR d'ALENE — A recreational vehicle park aimed at generating year-round income for the Kootenai County Fairgrounds is expected to be completed in time for the busy summer season.

Construction on the first phase of the 28-lot park at the northeast corner of the county-owned fairgrounds site on Dalton Avenue between the sheriff's office and Coeur d'Alene High is expected to start in April and be completed in June.

"The first phase will make it operational," County Commissioner Chris Fillios said after hearing a presentation on Wednesday on the project from Welch Comer Engineers.

The previous county commission board in December accepted a $342,000 Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation grant on behalf of the fair board to construct the park.

The fair board, which acts as an entity separate from county departments but receives annual funding from the county, will be responsible for a $45,000 match of cash and in-kind services to trigger the grant funds. The fair board will pay for $25,000 of the match, while $20,000 will come from a gravel donation.

Fillios said it's important to get the park running to generate income for the fair operation as soon as possible, but commissioners have not approved the second and third phases of the project.

"That will be a future decision," he said.

There will be a 14-day stay limit at the RV park.

The first phase will feature compact gravel lots.

The second phase would include paving, landscaping, improved accessibility and sewer. A grant for that phase has been applied for. The third phase would include restrooms and showers.

The total estimated cost of the park — should all three phases be approved — is $1.2 million.

Fillios said he supports taking the park one phase at a time.

"Let's see how successful it is, see how much revenue comes in and then we can decide if it is worth going beyond that," he said. "There may not be a real benefit to go beyond Phase 1 because there won't be more pads added. We don't know if the revenue will justify the additional costs."

However, Fillios said it's critical the fairgrounds thrives with additional income.

"Of all the activities we participate in as a county, the fair generates the most emotional appeal to people," he said. "It's very much a part of the community and we'll continue to do our best to provide that opportunity for folks. We need to extract whatever revenue we can."

Fillios said the county is still wrestling internally with which staff will manage the grant funds, but that question should not slow the RV park project itself.

"There are no legal impediments to our county being able to administer that grant," he said.