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a seat in the arena bleachers, they’ll notice one of the biggest improvements: The old worn out wooden benches have been replaced by new metal units.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.”
Durham Co. employees install new metal bleacher benches in the arena at the Houston Area Chamber of commerce Fairgrounds.