Park Township Community Center burns just before the Ottawa County Fair

PARK TWP. — One day before the Ottawa County Fair was slated to begin, organizers announced a change in plans after the Park Township Community Center caught fire overnight.

"The Park Township Community Building burned last night and is not safe to be near," organizers wrote on social media Sunday, July 24. "The Ottawa County Fair will adjust its area of fun that previously included the Community Stage attached to the Community Building to allow for all events to continue."

The building's interior was soot-covered and water damaged, with many smashed windows. Park Township Fire Department Chief Scott Gamby told The Sentinel the building is likely a total loss.

"I would say so, but that's really going to be determined in the next day or two," he said. "We'll be doing the investigation (Tuesday), so we'll have a better idea. The building was built in 1937, and it definitely wasn't designed to handle the heat that it did from that fire, so there are some really big concerns about the integrity."

Gamby said crews were called to the scene just before 11 p.m. Saturday. The building was empty when the fire began, and no one was hurt.

"We were actually finishing up two calls," he said. "Our last call was on 152nd and Ottawa Beach Road for a tree in the road. We left there and went past the fairgrounds to another call, and there was a lot of haze and smoke."

The call from another unit came just minutes later. While the cause remains officially undetermined, Gamby said vendors arriving for the Ottawa County Fair and campers told crews they believed it was lightning.

"They heard a huge crash of lightning and a big boom around 10:30 p.m. They said it literally shook their trailers, so they knew it was close," Gamby said. "That would make sense. The building was totally intact, the windows were secure, the doors were locked, so I really don't have any feeling someone was inside. We'll hopefully be able to rule out any electrical (Tuesday)."

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Severe thunderstorms blanketed West Michigan over the weekend, beginning in earnest just before 10 p.m. Saturday.

Locals shared memories on social media in the hours following the announcement, including playing basketball, rollerskating and attending Tot Time in the building.

"We are sorry for our friends at Park Township and will offer any support possible," festival organizers wrote.

— Contact reporter Cassandra Lybrink at cassandra.lybrink@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on Instagram @BizHolland.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Ottawa County Fair makes changes after Park Township Community Center burns