The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

Last week, at its regular monthly meeting, the Blaine County Fair Board approved the erection of an indoor arena at the county fairgrounds in Chinook. The project would utilize a surplus 100' by 200' metal building obtained by the county from the surplus program at Malstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls. The building was never erected and is, for the most part, packed and bundled the way it was originally delivered by the manufacturer to the air base.

Dennis Kleinjan, one of a group of volunteers that has been working on ways to utilize the building as an indoor arena, said the approval by the fair board was an important step. The board's approval gives the volunteers the go ahead to begin private fundraising for the project. As to the cost, Kleinjan said the group of supporters has decided to look at doing the project in two stages-first preparing the site and foundation, then raising the building. He said the bids for the foundation are being sought but have not yet been received by the group.

The planned location for the indoor arena is east of the rodeo arena and west of the livestock barns at the fair ground (see photo with arrow). Kleinjan said this location would allow use of the existing pens at the east end of the rodeo arena and/or the barns to the west of the site for events involving livestock. The proposed site is undeveloped. He added, "With the open field to the north and west there should be plenty of parking for stock trailers and trucks."

Interestingly, since the surplus building was never erected, there were no photos to show what it looks like. Kleinjan contacted a representative of Butler Manufacturing (a producer of prefabricated metal buildings) to see if they could produce a photo. Michael Hickey, with Butler Manufacturing, wrote, "Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of the building. I re-created it in our software and was able to create some renderings." A photo of the rendering is part of this article.

Possible uses of an indoor arena include rodeo events, such as roping and barrel racing. Other groups have talked about also using an indoor arena for car shows, gun shows and other events that would need to be in out of the weather. The indoor arena would have a dirt floor and would be another facility to use during the fair.

Steve Edwards/Courtesy Photo

This photo was taken from the Blaine County Fair grandstand looking northeast toward Chinook. The arrow indicates the general area where the proposed indoor arena will be erected. Promoters of the arena believe the site offers access to both the animal barns and stock pens attached to the rodeo arena with plenty of parking, north of the site, for stock trailers and related equipment.

Late last year the fair board created the Blaine County Fair Foundation. Originated as a 501(c)(3) organization, it allows donations for projects related to the fair and fairgrounds for which a donor could also receive a tax deduction. Fair Board member Dale Williams, who spearheaded creation of the foundation, said the IRS recently approved the tax-free status of the foundation.

Kleinjan said, "The creation of the foundation was important to the group trying to make the idea of an indoor arena a reality. Early on we looked at the prospects of writing grants and learned most granting organizations would only do so if their contribution could be tax free." He also noted, "We've already received, through the foundation, a sizeable, anonymous donation earmarked for the indoor arena project." He said once bid amounts were determined his group of supporters would begin to seriously plan fundraisers for the arena.

Donors making a contribution to the foundation should describe how they want their donation used, if they have a preference. Send donations to the Blaine County Fair Foundation at P.O. Box 1207, Chinook, MT 59523. If you want to make a specific donation to support the indoor arena project, you can contact Dennis or Laura Kleinjan for more information and details of what is needed at this point in time.