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Community Foundation Awards $25,000 Grant to Support
Grandstand Project at Lewis County Fairgrounds
Published: August 04, 2023
at 07:00 p.m.
By: Press Release from Northern New York Community
Foundation
Community Foundation Helps Restore Historic Lewis
County Fairgrounds Grandstand
$25,000 in Grant Support Awarded to Update Aging
Infrastructure
 LOWVILLE — A $25,000
Community Foundation grant will help the Lewis County Agricultural Society restore
its historic grandstand at the county fairgrounds on Bostwick Street.
First built in
the 1860s, the roughly 160-year-old site is listed on the National Register
of Historic Places. Deteriorating grandstand infrastructure and new
drainage system are two priorities facing upgrades to keep this well-used
community asset viable. The Community Foundation previously provided a
major grant in 2006 for renovations performed at that time.
Emergency
maintenance was done last summer to keep the grandstand operational through
this year’s fair. Work was completed to stabilize the structure and ensure
the future integrity of the building while repairing damage caused by
powder post beetles.
A successful
202nd Lewis County Fair closed on July 22 and grandstand renovations began
this month, Lewis County Agricultural Society Board President Matthew
O’Connor said. Outside of the fair, the grandstand hosts a wide range of
community events throughout the year.
 “This was a good opportunity to build
upon something we’ve previously invested in and also help ensure this
community asset continues to fully serve the citizens of Lewis County,”
said Rande Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “We know
this is a facility that is not only used during the fair, but throughout the
year.”
With more than
$300,000 in project funding now secured through support from Lewis County,
organization reserves, and charitable gifts from the community, the
Agriculture Society’s board is working to reach its $425,000 project
funding goal.
“The whole board
is very appreciative of the Community Foundation’s support,” Mr. O’Connor
said. “It shows how devoted the Foundation is to help so many different
communities throughout the area. On such a large project like
our grandstand, all the support helps. We thank you for this generous grant
and look forward to continuing our partnership and work together.”
The project is
scheduled for completion in about three to four months, Mr. O’Connor said.
Planned renovations will reduce the number of costly repairs the
Agriculture Society would need to address each year.
In 2018, the
Agriculture Society’s board partnered with the Community Foundation to
create a pair of agency funds that include a permanent Lewis County
Agricultural Society Endowment and a sustaining fund that have helped it
continue its work and mission.
The Agricultural
Society was formed in 1820. In the past 30 to 40 years, its role has grown
from primarily supporting the annual Lewis County Fair, to helping the
community use the 46-acre Bostwick Street fairgrounds for other community
events. A regional staple for more than 200 years, the Lewis County Fair draws
an annual attendance of nearly 40,000 patrons.
About the
Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the
Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and
enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson,
Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Through
partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and
generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards
grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that
benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve
their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving
and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community
Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors,
professional advisors and nonprofit organizations.
It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the
Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities
face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a
great place to live, work, and play.
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