GRANTS PASS, Ore. -- Parts of the Josephine County Fairgrounds are getting fixed up after years of use. One project could make a life-saving difference for the community.
Fairgrounds Director Peggy Anderson said it recently received $7,500 from the Four Way Community Foundation to go toward upgrading the commercial kitchen facility. It has been at the fairgrounds since the late 1950s and hasn't changed since then.
She said the facility also received a donation from the Cow Creek Tribe.
"We need to get this kitchen up to code in case we have a county emergency," Anderson said.
She said the Fairgrounds is the largest facility in the county, which makes it a go-to place in case of a county emergency.
"We've had some instances in the past where the Red Cross has needed to come in for warming or fires and this is right where they come so we need to have this kitchen up and ready to go," Anderson said.
Currently, the kitchen is only used to warm up food, but it cannot function as a commercial-use kitchen.
Anderson said getting the funding for upgrades can be tough since the county doesn't support the fairgrounds financially.
"We are totally self-supporting, we rent the buildings, we have grants, and we run on donations. It takes everything to make this happen," Anderson said.
In total, the project will cost about $100,000. Anderson hopes the final product will be completed in the next two years.
