Breaking ground: new campsite set for unveiling at Grundy County Fair

Jared Gutknecht has had a vision for both the Grundy County Fair and the fairgrounds as a year-round destination since he took over as the president of the Fair Board, and his ideas have been enthusiastically received among fellow board members and local supporters. One key piece of the larger puzzle is about to fall into place as the 30-spot campsite just east of the grandstand is set to be ready for action by the time this year’s festivities commence on July 16.
           
According to Gutknecht, who farms between Dike and Cedar Falls and graduated from D-NH, the planning process got serious about a year and a half ago, and it’s been all hands on deck ever since. He took inspiration from the Grundy County Lake site in Dike and wanted to find a way to create something similar in Grundy Center.
           
“(Camping) is cheap, and it’s a way to get family involvement,” he said.
           
And as an added benefit, all of the work came from local contractors: Grundy Center-based Boulder Contracting did the dirt and earth moving (Owner Justin Lynch is also a fair board member), and Beard Plumbing, Konken Electric, Tender Lawn Care and the city of Grundy Center were also key contributors. The fair board had been saving up for the project, which ended up costing around $100,000, and got major help from local donors and sponsors. As Lynch noted, they received a huge supply of volunteer labor and equipment. 
 
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