New lights go up around fair grandstand

Seven light standards are now in place around the rodeo arena at the Palouse Empire Fair. The galvanized steel light standards were put in place by a crew from Avista Aug. 14. Belt harnesses were attached to the poles which were lifted to a vertical position and then put down on concrete stubs.

The light standards on the fairground side of the arena are 80 feet long and tower over the new grandstand which stands approximately 35 feet along its top side.

The lights around the remainder of the rodeo arena are 70 feet long.

Plans had been made earlier to install the new arena lights with conventional steel standards, but the galvanized Musco light standards were located in one of the fair's storage areas. The Musco galvanized steel standards are expected to have a much longer life span on the site.

The lighting part of the arena project this year is being paid by the Palouse Empire Fair Foundation.

Greg's Electric of Colfax is the contractor for installation of the light system. The installation included several thousand feet of underground cable for the new lights.

The LED lights were attached to the pole before they were mounted in the pre-cast concrete base poles. Cables from the lights connect into the base poles.

The base units for the lights are part of a pre-cast post tension system designed to fit the pole. The base pole mounts were shipped here and mounted on concrete base pads.

Greg Harazin said they are now waiting for shipment on a component for the switch box which will have to be installed in the control panel for the lights before they turn the switch on the new system.