Shelby Co. to improve grandstand

SHELBY COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) - Improvement plans for the Shelby County grandstand and fairgrounds have expanded, again. Officials hope to add a tornado and storm shelter to the new grandstand.

"This is a perfect opportunity to put in a storm shelter and help footprint the grandstand," Shelby County Emergency Management Director Mike Schantz said.

Schantz proposed the idea during a county commissioners and council meeting Tuesday, our partners at the Shelbyville News report.

Grant money will be used to pay for the shelter.

"They're going to replace the grandstand one way or the other, so use this grant to build a reinforced concrete structure underneath with high-impact or high-wind load doors on it," he said. "Then it's a win-win for everybody."

Officials say there is no real storm shelter in the county. With the number of tornadoes in the area, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been pushing to build shelters in the area. The group has made mitigation grants available through IDHS to help build those shelters.

The proposed shelter would also be storm coverage for nearby Kennedy Park and baseball park.

The rebuilding of the grandstand is still in the design process. A $660,000 proposal from a Columbus contractor offered seating for 1,500 under a gabled roof but no enclosure. Wanting to replicate the 133-year-old covered grandstand as much as possible, the fair board is considering options to enclose it.

Officials hope to have the grandstand completed in time for the 2014 county fair.