FAIRGROUNDS: Preserve for youth

I am writing in strong opposition of relocating county justice facilities to the North Idaho Fairgrounds.

The North Idaho State Fair and Rodeo is the pinnacle of the summer for thousands of county residents. Two years ago, on Saturday night you couldn’t fit another vehicle in the fairgrounds. Cars were parked in the rodeo contestants’ warm-up arena. This year the fair shattered attendance records by 15 percent — more than 97,000 people attended.

As a volunteer whose blood, sweat and tears have gone into improving those grounds, it is disheartening when you see an article where two commissioners WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC COMMENT are considering taking 4 acres away from our fairgrounds.

I urge our commissioners or others involved in this decision to come out to the fairgrounds on a Saturday in late August, roll their sleeves up and volunteer. Come for breakfast in the morning, watch the 4-H auction, buy a steer, stroll the barns, watch the horse pulls, and then attend one of the best pro rodeos you will ever go to. If you do that, I guarantee you walk away understanding, like we do, that OUR Fairgrounds is a gem in the North Idaho landscape and should be protected for generations.

The Fairgrounds serves as an affordable community gathering place not only for the annual fair, but for many events throughout the year. It provides a proactive place where young people are fostered into hardworking, responsible community members. It needs to be protected.

DAVE PAUL

Post Falls