TOPPENISH — Plans to bring back the Toppenish July 4th Rodeo after a one-year hiatus have been thwarted by the financial demands of bringing the still-unfinished community center building on the grounds up to code.
Rodeo association board president Richard Halvorson said Monday there would not be a regular three-day event over the July 4th holiday, as has traditionally occurred, but he said he was hopeful that some rodeo-related event could be scheduled for the community.
Financial considerations had forced the board to cancel the event for 2008, with the intent of returning this year in a stronger financial position and with a long-term plan for financial stability.
The goal of that plan was to at least double utilization of the rodeo grounds by paying entities, and the key to that increased utilization was completion of the large multi-purpose building on the grounds.
Over the last several months, the board was able to negotiate a loan package that was to have brought the building to the point that an occupation permit could be issued.
Unfortunately, Halvorson said, when the building was inspected the board was told that the fire code had changed since construction of the building had begun, about 15 years ago, and that getting an occupancy permit would require a fire suppression sprinkler system and a dedicated fire alarm system the connected directly to the fire department.
The price tag is $50,000, Halvorson said.
“It blew our plans out of the water,” he said.  
There may be a barrel-race competition on the July 4th weekend, Halvorson said, and he is also hopeful that the organizers of the Yakama Nation Pow Wow will hold their event at the rodeo grounds.
“We’d like to protect the pow wow,” he said “and keep that tradition going.”
Meanwhile, the goal of the board is to “get the (rodeo) association on its feet and viable,” Halvorson said.
Halvorson also encouraged anyone with suggestions for rodeo-oriented events for the July 4th holidays to contact him at 509-961-5391.