Next month the population of Ivy will swell from 59 people to more than 100,000.
The village in Essa Township is getting ready to host the 101st International Plowing Match, but it requires a complicated transformation that includes new electrical infrastructure.
Today, dozens of hydro crews with the help of apprentices were busy installing hydro poles across a farmer’s field.
“Once we frame the poles, we dig holes the holes, set the poles, string the wire and then run the service wire down to the panel,” said Mark King, a Hydro One apprentice.
Hydro One operations manager Valerie Lane says projects like this one provide an ideal training ground for new workers.
“It’s the safest environment we are going to get for installing poles, conductors and transformers with various type of equipment,” said Lane. “This gives us the opportunity to give some of our first year apprentices a chance to do some of the things they wouldn’t be able to do in an energized environment.”
Once the work is done, there will be electrical service for almost 1500 RVs on a campground spanning 100 acres of land. Electrical panels have also been installed for the 500 exhibitors and vendors that are expected.
Several kilometers of fencing and underground water services are also being installed.
“There are water lines less than 200 acres of farms, so we put underground water for all of the vendors that will be visiting here so there will be portable water for everybody,” said Terry Arnold, tented city chairman.
The International Plowing Match runs from September 16th thru to the 20th. Once the event is over, all of the new infrastructure will be removed, so crops can grow in the field again.
