Photo by Deb Gau During the Lyon County Fair, the hoop barn is the site of the fair’s free stage and several musical events. The barn currently has just a raised gravel floor.

MARSHALL — It’s a spot where a lot of Lyon County fairgoers come to enjoy music and entertainment. And on Tuesday, Lyon County commissioners talked about making some improvements to the hoop barn at the fairgrounds.

“I was asked by some constituents if we would look at some hard surfacing at the hoop barn,” Commissioner Steve Ritter said.

After discussion, commissioners voted in favor of paving the barn floor with asphalt, and building an apron on two sides of the structure.

The hoop barn, a covered structure with open sides, is used as a shelter for a variety of events at the fairgrounds. During the county fair, free stage events and concerts are held in the hoop barn. The barn currently has an unpaved gravel floor that’s raised above the fairgrounds around it.

County Highway Engineer Aaron VanMoer presented commissioners with some estimates for paving the interior of the hoop barn and building a 12-foot apron around the sides of the barn. The hoop barn floor has an area of about 4,560 square feet, and the proposed apron would have an area of about 2,900 square feet, according to the estimate.

VanMoer said paving the barn floor with 3 inches of asphalt would cost an estimated $13,020, with the apron costing an additional $9,540. Paving the barn floor with 4 inches of concrete would cost an estimated $22,800, with the apron costing $14,460. The price quotes would be for construction this year, VanMoer said.

Commissioners went over a few different details of the proposal, including whether the paving project was something that could be done next year or further into the future.

“I don’t know that we need to act on it,” Ritter said.

However, other commissioners said it might be better to act sooner rather than later. Commissioner Charlie Sanow said he didn’t think material costs for the paving were going to go down.

Commissioner Gary Crowley also asked whether the barn would need an apron on all four sides of the structure. Two sides are currently bordered by grass, and the county could keep it that way, he said.

Commissioner Rick Anderson moved that the county pave the inside of the hoop barn with asphalt and build an apron on the north and east sides of the structure. The motion passed.

While the motion didn’t specify where funding for the paving project would come from, commissioners did talk about a couple of possibilities. One suggestion was for the money to come from proceeds from the sale of county-owned property. Anderson said the funds could possibly come from the county’s energy production tax revenues.

The tax revenue should go to projects that benefit county residents, Anderson said.

“The fair is definitely an event that’s for everyone in the county,” he said.