Shown here is a rendering for Douglas County's upcoming fairgrounds project. Drawn left to right at the rear of the photo is 19th Street, while Harper Street can be seen running perpendicular to 19th on the photo's left side. The future Open Pavilion can be seen with a green roof at the top of the fairgrounds, just below the parking area. The derby arena, which will be refurbished and reoriented, can be seen just below the pavilion and the future Meeting Hall can be seen with an orange roof on the photo's left side.

The Douglas County Commission will receive on Wednesday a landscape master plan for the Douglas County Fairgrounds with an estimated price tag of $209,000 to $308,000.

The proposed plan would complement the $8 million fairgrounds renovation project, which will wrap up with the completion of the Open Air Pavilion early next year and the Outdoor Event Arena before the 2017 Douglas County Fair. Completed by the firm Bartlett & West with input from county staffers and fairgrounds’ users, the landscape master plan would be completed in three phases totaling 19 years. The three-year first phase is estimated to cost from $43,000 to $67,000, the estimate for the six-year second phase is from $49,000 to $81,000, and the 10-year third phase is estimated to cost from $119,000 to $165,000. The intent of the phasing is to allow appropriate time for planning and budgeting, a report to commissioners states.

The first phase would primarily consist of the planting of trees and foundational landscape materials, with proposed trails, shelter, gateway signage and other structural elements scheduled for two later phases.

The plan reflects requests voiced during the creation of the plan that the fairgrounds’ landscape serve sustainable, historical, recreational and educational purposes.

Hands-on educational opportunities would be available in a “teachable garden,” while signage on the 28 tree species and 12 varieties of flowering ornamental shrubs on the fairgrounds would provide “passive” educational opportunities. Many of those signs would be placed on trees and shrubs along a network of 10-foot-wide interpretative trails, which are meant to encourage the use of the fairgrounds as a community recreational resource.

The site’s history would be celebrated with an Oregon Trail-themed playground near where the trail crossed the fairgrounds at today’s carnival site. It would include a park shelter near the fairgrounds’ concessions and two Oregon Trail wagon play sets.

Other elements of the fully realized master plan include a linear arboretum along Harper Street on the fairgrounds’ west side and branching into the interior, four pocket parks, a central pedestrian roundabout, a meeting hall celebration garden and gateway signage.

The master plan also proposes that open green spaces, such as the carnival site, double as “flexible” sports venues when not being used for their designed uses. It is suggested venues be equipped with $3,650 to $5,950 in portable soccer goals, volleyball nets and disc golf baskets stored at the fairgrounds.

The Douglas County Commission meets at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St. For a complete agenda, visit douglascounty.org.