Pioneer Village On The Way Out? | Video

Rene Thibault | 1/4/2013

Looks like changes are on the way for the North Dakota State Fair grounds, but they may come at the expense of one group.

“There was a motion made at our annual meeting from the memberships of the State Fair Association and they gave our board notice that in five years they should ask the Pioneer Village to be relocated,” said Renae Korslien, the North Dakota State Fair Manager.

It was that motion that was the topic of discussion at last night`s fair board meeting. “We invited Ward County Historical Society to talk to them about that and for them to begin looking for land and to try and figure out how these buildings can be relocated,” added Korslien

With so much growth in Minot, land is scarce and expensive. After strong flood recovery efforts, the Ward County Historical Society hopes another alternative can be reached. “The fair board needs to expand somehow, the fairgrounds, and the historical society is getting itself in much better shape than it’s been for many years. So I think there is some amicable way of working all that out and that`s what we`re going to work towards,” commented Bruce Brooks, a member of the Ward County Historical Society.

There are 13 buildings that would possibly need to be moved. The State Fair Board and Ward County Historical Society are still only in discussions of what the future will hold. “We do think we`re an asset to the community and to the fair. Every event they have down there is an opportunity for people to see the history of North Dakota, and unfortunately that history is disappearing pretty quickly”, added Brooks.

If it`s determined that Pioneer Village must go, the fair board plans on building additions onto the current fair center to add more convention space and meeting areas. A memorandum of understanding is currently being written up to determine what is expected of both sides. The State Fair Board and the Ward County Historical Society will continue to meet to decide what is best for both parties.

COMMENT ON THIS STORY

BACK TO NEWS | BACK TO MINOT STORIES