Union County Fairgrounds Campgrounds Close March 9 for Wastewater Connection

Union County will close on-site campgrounds at the Union County Fairgrounds beginning Monday, March 9, 2026, to accommodate the arrival of heavy equipment for the next phase of a long‑planned water and wastewater construction project that will connect the fairgrounds to the City of La Grande’s system and install running water and working bathrooms.

County officials marked the project with a formal groundbreaking on November 14, 2025, attended by elected officials, county personnel, fair board members and community members. Interior work on fairground facilities has already started, volunteers have been working on site, and demolition of non-functional bathroom facilities is underway as crews prepare for outdoor heavy construction.

Project scheduling documents set a multi-stage construction window. The timeline published with project updates indicates construction began in February 2026 and will continue through July 2026, with heavy machinery moving onto the fairgrounds beginning March 9. The plan calls for initial work on pump stations and non-disruptive bridge work before crews cross the Grande Ronde River; work on the North 2nd Street bridge over I-84 is likely to start in May 2026 to minimize winter traffic disruption.

Legislative funding and project cost estimates remain a central fiscal detail. The 2025 legislative session provided $2,539,405 in lottery bond funding tied to House Bill 5006 and Senate Bill 5531, with those bond funds scheduled to be fully allocated in 2027. A separate preliminary cost estimate filed with the legislature projects a 2024 total estimated project cost of $3,009,000, based on phase itemizations and an assumed 7 percent annual inflation projection to 2024.

That preliminary estimate also lists prior secured funding and local contributions including $277,000 from a 2021 Business Oregon capital allocation (HB 5006), $1,000,000 from HB 5202 in 2022, a $75,000 donation from Northwest Farm Credit, and a $250,000 Union County ARPA contribution. The Olis accounting shows Phase I 2024 projected totals of $2,340,000 and Phase II 2024 projected totals of $669,000, with a remaining balance of roughly $157,000 after anticipated additional funds in that earlier accounting.

Technical line items in the legislative estimate show the project's concrete scope: water service connections listed at $16,000 for multiple connections, site electrical upgrades budgeted at $75,000, asphalt surfacing line items at roughly $100,000, and Phase II items including a fire hydrant assembly at $6,500. Those itemized figures underscore the work required to replace aging septic and plumbing systems and to reduce reliance on portable facilities.

Becker Construction has been awarded the construction contract for the work, and Union County Commissioner Matt Scarfo, who serves as the county liaison to the fair board, said he is encouraged by progress. “I’m relieved. I’m happy,” Scarfo said, adding, “But I would still like to see it fully completed.” Scarfo also expressed optimism that the project can be completed in time for the 2026 Union County Fair.

Operational impacts begin March 9 with the campground closure to the public; project updates also warn of some access and rental limitations during construction. Heavy equipment arriving that week will mark the transition from interior and preparatory work to full outdoor construction across the fairgrounds, the river crossing and the North 2nd Street bridge area, with completion and full funding allocation tracked through July 2026 and the bond allocation schedule into 2027.