LCRA awards $17,930 grant to Colorado County Fair Association

New lighting, electrical upgrades will help make fairground facilities safer

Nov. 15, 2021

COLUMBUS, Texas – The Colorado County Fair Association will replace the fairground’s parking area lighting and upgrade the fairground hall’s interior electrical components thanks to a $17,930 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority.

The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $4,500 in matching contributions, will pay for the upgrades to make the parking area safer and save the association money on the fairground utility bills.

“Goodness, we were just elated when we found out we were going to receive this grant,” said Doreen Alexander, second vice president of the Colorado County Fair Association Board. “It will pay for work that will make the fairgrounds safer and make Founders Hall easier and more economical to use with new lights that won’t heat up the building when they’re in use.”

In addition to county fair events, nonprofit and private groups use the fairgrounds and its building for a variety of community gatherings that include fundraisers, reunions, holiday parties and youth group meetings. The association’s income from the county fair and the hall rental help support Colorado County youth programs and pay for fairground facility improvements and maintenance.

“We use the fairgrounds for all the Colorado County Fair events, but organizations also rent the hall and outdoor pavilion to host trail rides, tractor pulls and barbecue cookoffs,” Alexander said. “This is one of the biggest rental spaces in the county, so people use it for all kinds of important life events ranging from quinceañeras to weddings to anniversaries.”

The upgrades will include installing dedicated electrical circuits and replacing outdated and underrated electrical panels, wires and plugs.

“Having sufficient electrical capacity and outlets is critical for our facilities,” Alexander said. “So many private parties have bands that perform, and many outdoor events need electricity for vendor setups and food trucks. We want to make sure our facilities continue to provide a safe, family friendly environment.”

Early this year, the fairgrounds and hall also served as a location for COVID-19 vaccines because it was the only place in the area that could accommodate a large number of people and had ample available parking.

The community grant is one of 32 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in January. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.

About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations. For more information, visit lcra.org.

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