For more than a decade, the long-term future and viability of the Desert Park racetrack facility looked bleak indeed.

That is but a distant memory now with the great news that the dilapidated grandstand at Desert Park has been renovated under the watchful eye of a professional engineer.

Local taxpayers actually played a significant role in making the grandstand renovation a reality as Town of Osoyoos council approved $37,000 in funding several months ago and the board with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) chipped in with an additional $50,000.

For the first time in more than 15 years, the grandstand at Desert Park is expected to be full to capacity when the first of two professional horse racing dates come to town on Saturday, Aug. 8.

Having the grandstand brought up to provincial building code standards will not only play a significant role in ensuring horse racing will continue at Desert Park, but it also opens the possibility to attracting all kinds of other sporting, recreational and community events to Osoyoos.

We all know how hot it gets in the blazing South Okanagan heat and it’s refreshing, literally, to know hundreds of patrons can get out of the sun and grab a seat and a wonderful view from the new and improved grandstand.

Since the formation of the Desert Park Exhibition Society more than three years ago, the improvements and upgrades at the facility have been staggering and impressive.

Since upgrading and painting the stables, they have been packed to capacity with Alberta, B.C. and American horse owners flocking here to train their horses over the winter and early spring.

Upgrades to the track, railings, infield and now the grandstand can all be credited to the hard work and fundraising efforts initiated by the dedicated members and volunteers with the Desert Park Exhibition Society.

There is still more work to be done to improve the grandstand facility over the next couple of years.

This past Saturday, a small crew of exhibition society volunteers showed up to clean up a huge compilation of bird droppings that had gathered on top of and around the grandstand facility.

The exhibition society has already made it clear they would like to see three and maybe four horse racing dates come to Desert Park as soon as next summer.

What was once a run-down and dilapidated facility with a very bleak future, now looks fantastic.

Having the grandstand upgraded and brought up to code is probably the best news yet for the exhibition society.

Kudos to everyone involved with the society on a job well done.

As mentioned, the possibilities to hold major sporting, recreational and community events at Desert Park, as well as professional horse racing, are endless.

There is no reason at all that Osoyoos and Desert Park can’t bid for and win the right to host major slo-pitch and soccer tournaments.

One would think music promoters would be looking to use the new and improved Desert Park to host small and medium-sized concerts.

People from across the province and beyond would love to come to Osoyoos during the warm weather months to play ball, soccer or see their favourite band.

Having an upgraded facility capable of hosting such major events was absolutely crucial and now it can and will happen.