The arena at the Island County Fairgrounds in Langley will be sporting an updated look this spring with new tubular fencing surrounding it.

The Island County Fair Association received a special assistance grant of $11,135 last month from the Washington State Department of Agriculture to help replace a 40-year-old fence as well as livestock pens located at both ends of the arena.

The fair board is now seeking bids for the 676 feet of fencing needed for the project, and will select a bidder at its Jan. 21 meeting.

“Matching donations of money and/or in-kind services are necessary to complete the project, which is expected to cost more than $22,000,” said Ruth Turner, spokeswoman for the fair board.

The grant and expected donations will cover the cost of materials, preparation of the site and installation, which will be done by volunteers.

“We are very dependent on volunteers,” Turner said. “It is really the only way we can get as much done as we do.”

Freeland’s Danny Waterman volunteered his time to remove the old fence and ready the ground for the new one. Members of the Whidbey Western Games Association have volunteered to install the new fence.

The difference between the grant and matching funds will have to come from the fair’s budget.

The grant, written by Deborah Hobart, was one 58 presented to agriculture representatives in November in Ellensburg.

To get it, fair board president Jim Eakin and Hobart gave a presentation that included slides and photos of the fairgrounds at Langley.

Island County Fair was one of 11 associations to receive a total of $100,000 in grants from the state.

Safety for people and animals was uppermost in the minds of board members when they made plans to replace the arena’s fence, Turner said.

The board considered chain link fencing as an option, but decided against it because it posed a safety hazard.

Turner said everyone who uses the arena will be pleased to see the fence go up.

“This will be a great addition to our fairgrounds.”