Valley County receives update on fairgrounds master plan; survey shows 232 responses

Clearwater Financial updated the Valley County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, Oct. 22, about progress on a master plan to expand and reconfigure the Cascade fairgrounds to better serve the county year-round.

The presentation outlined a project timeline that began in May, work now between analysis and testing phases, a public survey launched June 20 with 232 responses so far, and 17 stakeholder interviews completed or nearly complete. Abby Urquiaga, municipal adviser with Clearwater Financial and project lead, said the firm is preparing a stakeholder summary, conceptual site scenarios and preliminary cost estimates to present a recommended scenario for the county in early 2026.

The update matters because the fairgrounds sit at a central location in Cascade and are envisioned to serve residents countywide, including from Donnelly and McCall. The project ties to Valley County’s previous facility planning: the fairgrounds were identified in the county’s 2023 master facility plan and remained a top priority in the 2024 and 2025 updates.

Clearwater’s work so far has included creating a steering committee composed of county staff, the fair board, the City of Cascade, University of Idaho Extension (4-H), and local construction interests, said Urquiaga. The committee has met biweekly, helped recruit stakeholders for interviews and coordinated outreach. “We kick[ed] this off in May,” she said, and…