When attendees of this week’s huge Monster Trucks event set foot in the arena at the Houston Area Chamber of Commerce Fairgrounds, they’ll no doubt notice a few changes.
The facility has new lighting, a new press box and its surface has been leveled and smoothed like it hasn’t in years. Even the fairgrounds entrance and exit road has a new surface, eliminating those ankle-deep potholes and other major imperfections.
But when people take a seat in the arena bleachers, they’ll notice one of the biggest improvements: The old worn out wooden benches have been replaced by new metal units. And that part of the project didn’t cost the chamber a cent.
The Durham Co. – Houston’s second largest employer – donated the materials and provided the manpower and labor to have the benches installed.
Durham Co. Houston plant manager Richard Peterson said the materials included 240 8-foot long benches and 1,000 mounting brackets, all powder coated and manufactured in Houston.
“It’s an amazing gift and we are blessed to have a business that cares about the community,” said chamber executive director Angie Miller-Quinlan. “It’s a gift that will last for many years and will enable the chamber to hold more big events in the future.”