CLEARFIELD – The grandstand at the Clearfield County Fairgrounds is going to get a new lease on life, but that lease will only last about 20 years.
During Thursday’s meeting, Code Enforcement Officer Larry Mack informed the Clearfield Borough Council that he met with Rich Hughes of Hughes Engineering on Tuesday.
He said they reviewed the inspection report of the grandstand building, and they are very hopeful that repairs will add 20 years to the structure.
According to a Sept. 16 article on GANT News, the fix is a simple one, requiring building collars, chipping and sandblasting and applying an epoxy paint coating upstairs.
Mack said Hughes was impressed with the condition of the grandstand, which was built in 1924-25. In the meantime, Mack said the building is safe enough to store recreation vehicles over the winter.
Repairs will begin in March or April and should be finished before August. “I can’t see any reason why it can’t be ready for the fair,” he said.
The bad news is, the repairs will only last a maximum of 20 years. At that point, Mack said the entire structure will have to be replaced.
He explained that concrete has a limited life span, and the grandstand is reaching the end of its useful life. Even so, it will be about 115 years old when the 20-year time limit is up.
Mack also said that when the repairs are completed, the cracks will be injected with a special glue, which will help waterproof the structure. He said Hughes will monitor those areas and if the building shifts, he will be able to see that immediately.
Also, in another five years, he said that the roof is going to need replaced.
When asked what the cost would be for these repairs, Mack replied that the estimate is about $30,000-40,000.
