Courtesy Photo Alexandra Koss, 7, rides her horse, Blossom, at the horse arena at the Alpena County Fairgrounds in this 2019 News archive photo.

ALPENA — The first of several groups interested in using a portion of the Alpena County Fairgrounds slated to be torn down gave its presentation to the Alpena County Board of Commissioners this week.

The Alpena County Horsemen’s Club asked for permission to tear down the old baseball diamond at the fairgrounds and replace it with a new horse arena in which to practice and compete. The club currently has one such space at the far end of the fairgrounds, but representatives from the club told the commissioners on Tuesday that area is too small, unsafe for horses, and not ideal to host events that could attract competitors from out of town.

The club’s Tuesday presentation followed a July meeting at which county commissioners indicated they wanted to remove the old ballfield, its dugouts, and a dilapidated concession stand. Several local groups showed interest in using and maintaining the grounds for their own needs.

Horsemen’s Club member Fran Arthur said Tuesday events at the current site have to be altered because the area is too small and the gravel parking lots near the space can injure horses’ feet and cause them to become lame. She said the bi-path also runs near the event area and the activity from people walking or riding bikes can startle the horses and cause them to become unsettled.

“There is a lot of traffic, and it scares the horses, as does the boats on the river as they go by,” Arthur said. “It can become a safety issue that we feel can be improved if we can use the area of the ball field.

If allowed, Arthur said the Horseman’s Club and other horse enthusiasts would remove the field and make the needed improvements. She said the new arena would be about 150 feet by 250 feet, which is larger than the current one, where usage for some competitions is limited. The current arena could still be used as a warm-up area if a new one is constructed.

Club member Crystal Seelye, who competes across the state, said that, if a new, larger arena is built, more and larger horse events could be held. She said that would lead to more people coming to Alpena and spending money on food, lodging, and other things.

“Right now, we are limited on what types of shows and clinics we can bring to Alpena because of the size,” Seelye said. “If we were to host a show, it would bring in about 50 contestants and a lot of their families. It would be a good thing for the community.”

Seelye said the fact that there is lighting and water near the area of the ball diamond also makes the location attractive.

Arthur said renovating the field and building a new arena would likely cost tens of thousands of dollars. The club would fundraise to get the money.

“We have a very dedicated group of people who love horses, and I’m sure they would support this.” she said.

The commissioners didn’t vote on the issue and are scheduled to hear from one of the local baseball groups who are also vying to use the area in question.

The board will decide at a later date on what direction they choose.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.