Thanks to more than $250,000 in donations funneled through the San Benito County Heritage Foundation, the pavilion at the county fairgrounds is undergoing a makeover.
Work on the pavilion, a staple for indoor gatherings and exhibits at the Bolado Park facility, is the latest among a slate of renovation projects funded by the San Benito County Heritage Foundation.
The improvements have occurred at the 4-H building—with insulation and a paint job done along with windows going in this week—and also at the Riverside Room, also known as the poultry building, said fair CEO Donnette Carter. The Riverside Room has a new roof and paint jobs to the inside and outside, she said.
With the pavilion, the fair painted the inside and outside, installed a new roof and windows, redid the entryway and put in new flooring. Next up, expected by or during the summer, are improvements to the second level area, Carter said.
Looking forward, she said the fair plans to redo the kitchen at a cost of about $100,000.
“It is all thanks to the community,” she said.
Those funds are a big help considering state cutbacks. The state in recent years gradually has cut off a nearly $400,000 annual allocation to the county fair.