[Eeyore]

Farmers Markets are interesting but I don’t frequent them. Presently we have like five of them. One on Drake every Saturday, one on Harmony every Wednesday and every Sunday, there’s a farmers market at the mall every Tuesday, a local garden center host a farmers market every Friday, and downtown there is a farmers market every Saturday at civic center park. There is also this open air market thing downtown every other Saturday called the French nest open air market. They sell local produce, art work and what not. Its pretty cool.

I can’t wait for the permanent farmers market to be built. I’m interested to see how the concept works. As I understand it during the warmer months the market will feature all local grown and made products and there will also be booths for people to come sell their shit. The market will also partner with local farmers in Chile so we can have fresh organic produce to sell in the winter months and so on.

How can you have a farmers market in the winter? The only time you can have locally grown farmers markets is when local farmers are harvesting food and that starts about the end of July and lasts through September. Pueblo is still somewhat of a large farm town, we have very large farms just east of the city, thus people come from all over for our markets. That is why they moved it to the Riverwalk.

[acw007]

How can you have a farmers market in the winter? The only time you can have locally grown farmers markets is when local farmers are harvesting food and that starts about the end of July and lasts through September. Pueblo is still somewhat of a large farm town, we have very large farms just east of the city, thus people come from all over for our markets. That is why they moved it to the Riverwalk.

That's why we partner with growers in Chile... you do realize they are in the opposite hemisphere, right? So when its winter here is summer there and visa versa...

[Eeyore]

That's why we partner with growers in Chile... you do realize they are in the opposite hemisphere, right? So when its winter here is summer there and visa versa...

At that point its the same as a grocery store. They just fly the food in lol. A true farmers maket is when local farmers from around the town come in with fresh produce to sale, that can only be done during the summer and early fall.

[acw007]

At that point its the same as a grocery store. They just fly the food in lol. A true farmers maket is when local farmers from around the town come in with fresh produce to sale, that can only be done during the summer and early fall.

Well duh but how else do you keep them running year round? The difference is we charge less and the produce is organic. We also support those farmers during the time of year they aren’t growing anything. Either way the concept works. They do similar things at open air markets in Portland and Philly and so on... any who.

Listing all the farmers markets gave me an idea… since our good buddy Eeyore often likes to mention how he thinks downtown Pueblo has more events on a regular basis than other cities in the state I thought I’d post this list of events in downtown Fort Collins taking place in the month of July:


July 2009

Friday, Jul-03-2009 First Friday Gallery Walk
Friday, Jul-03-2009 Special Artist Show!!
Friday, Jul-03-2009 Ben & Jerry's FAC Concert Series
Saturday, Jul-04-2009 4th of July Downtown
Sunday, Jul-05-2009 Old Town Sunday Sounds! (concerts)
Tuesday, Jul-07-2009 Noontime Notes Concert Series
Thursday, Jul-09-2009 Downtown Days featuring Sidewalk Sales
Thursday, Jul-09-2009 Thursday Night Music and More Concert Series
Thursday, Jul-09-2009 A Fort Collins Jazz Experience
Friday, Jul-10-2009 Downtown Days featuring Sidewalk Sales
Friday, Jul-10-2009 A Fort Collins Jazz Experience
Friday, Jul-10-2009 Ben & Jerry's FAC Concert Series
Saturday, Jul-11-2009 A Fort Collins Jazz Experience
Saturday, Jul-11-2009 The French Nest Open Air Market
Saturday, Jul-11-2009 Downtown Days featuring Sidewalk Sales
Saturday, Jul-11-2009 A FC Jazz Experience: Downtown Sessions
Saturday, Jul-11-2009 Jazz Friday - Art Gallery Walk
Sunday, Jul-12-2009 Old Town Sunday Sounds! (concerts)
Tuesday, Jul-14-2009 Noontime Notes Concert Series
Thursday, Jul-16-2009 Thursday Night Music and More Concert Series
Friday, Jul-17-2009 Ben & Jerry's FAC Concert Series
Sunday, Jul-19-2009 Old Town Sunday Sounds! (concerts)
Tuesday, Jul-21-2009 Noontime Notes Concert Series
Thursday, Jul-23-2009 Thursday Night Music and More Concert Series
Friday, Jul-24-2009 Ben & Jerry's FAC Concert Series
Sunday, Jul-26-2009 Old Town Sunday Sounds! (concerts)
Tuesday, Jul-28-2009 Noontime Notes Concert Series
Thursday, Jul-30-2009 Thursday Night Music and More Concert Series
Friday, Jul-31-2009 Ben & Jerry's FAC Concert Series

That’s a whole lot of events… and these are only events put on by the downtown business association. They don’t include things like the bike in movie nights at New Belgium, all the farmers markets, and the dozens of performances that take place at our many local venues. We also have at least a marathon a week and weekly bike races. Downtown Fort Collins is chalk full of events year round.

[Eeyore]

Thos are great events and it sounds like a great farmers market ours does the same as well, here is what we do:

Thursdays, June 25 - August 20, 2009
At the Pepsi Patio by the Riverwalk Boathouse

The Farmers' Market at the Riverwalk brings several local farmers to the Riverwalk for a great variety of fresh produce. Each evening will feature different performers to enjoy while strolling around the market. Several local produce farmers and other healthy food vendors will be on hand to cater to any appetite. Relax with a Happy Hour Cruise on one of the Riverwalk Excursion Boats, or simply take a leisurely ride through the channel with your family. Make this FREE event part of your summer routine.

Located at the Pepsi Plaza by the Riverwalk Boathouse
Farmers' Market Begins at 4pm
Entertainment Begins at 5pm
$1 Off Excursion Boat Rides and 50% Off Pedal Boat Rides
Happy Hour Cruise from 4pm-8pm
For More Information, Call 719-59

Enteratinment:

Barnburners
Hi Fidelity
Ralph Collier
Chuck Rodriquez
Chuck Gallo
Carl the One Man Band
Raplh Collier
Chuck Rodriquez
No Nonsense

They even got many corporate sponcers.

The link: http://www.puebloharp.com/#/farmers-market/4529782804


I looked up the defination here it is:

Farmers' markets, sometimes called greenmarkets, are markets, usually held out-of-doors, in public spaces, where farmers can sell produce to the public.

My point is the definition of a farmers market is local farmers coming out to sale produce not flying organic foods in from different countries at that point it becomes a produce store or a organic foods store but not a farmers market.

[acw007]

Thos are great events and it sounds like a great farmers market ours does the same as well, here is what we do:

Thursdays, June 25 - August 20, 2009
At the Pepsi Patio by the Riverwalk Boathouse

The Farmers' Market at the Riverwalk brings several local farmers to the Riverwalk for a great variety of fresh produce. Each evening will feature different performers to enjoy while strolling around the market. Several local produce farmers and other healthy food vendors will be on hand to cater to any appetite. Relax with a Happy Hour Cruise on one of the Riverwalk Excursion Boats, or simply take a leisurely ride through the channel with your family. Make this FREE event part of your summer routine.

Located at the Pepsi Plaza by the Riverwalk Boathouse
Farmers' Market Begins at 4pm
Entertainment Begins at 5pm
$1 Off Excursion Boat Rides and 50% Off Pedal Boat Rides
Happy Hour Cruise from 4pm-8pm
For More Information, Call 719-59

Enteratinment:

Barnburners
Hi Fidelity
Ralph Collier
Chuck Rodriquez
Chuck Gallo
Carl the One Man Band
Raplh Collier
Chuck Rodriquez
No Nonsense

They even got many corporate sponcers.

The link: http://www.puebloharp.com/#/farmers-market/4529782804


I looked up the defination here it is:

Farmers' markets, sometimes called greenmarkets, are markets, usually held out-of-doors, in public spaces, where farmers can sell produce to the public.

My point is the definition of a farmers market is local farmers coming out to sale produce not flying organic foods in from different countries at that point it becomes a produce store or a organic foods store but not a farmers market.

Blah don’t be jealous because Pueblo couldn't support it :) :haha:
After doing the research I realized I made a mistake. This type of market is called a "Community Marketplace" anywho.

This is what the DDA say’s about the marketplace: The Community Marketplace will be a multi-dimensional, year-round market that highlights locally grown and produced food, along with goods and services from near and far that enrich a vision of a locally sustainable and globally fair downtown center for living, learning and connecting. Through the Community Marketplace, Fort Collins will lead the way in creating economic vitality by celebrating all that contributes to a vibrant downtown and community, and healthy agricultural land and environment.

[Eeyore]

Blah don’t be jealous because Pueblo couldn't support it :) :haha:
After doing the research I realized I made a mistake. This type of market is called a "Community Marketplace" anywho.

So I was right! That makes more sense as that can not be a farmers market. I have always known Fort Collins has more organic food stores then Pueblo and thats fine by me as I have no desire to shop in one. We are geting more though, and I am told they do good.

:P

It will be interesting to see how it does especially during the non local growing season when they are nothing more then a glorified grocery store. If its going to work any place it would be up in Fort Collins as most people in Pueblo, including my self, would just go to the grocery store. Or if we do go to local stores we go to the small mom and pop stores that I have pictured before.

[acw007]

You were right but I wasn't wrong. I just used the wrong words lol.
I find it odd how resistant you are to change even when it could be for you…

[Eeyore]

Maybe that is because I come from a very old town with old ways of doing things. People called Pueblo the Baghdad of Colorado I would say we are more like the Bronx of Colorado. Old yet with some new areas but most everyone living the "Bronx lifestyle" You can find restaurants and stores that no other city in Colorado has, even Denver. Because of that Pueblo has kep its charm that a lot of towns have lost. In fact I have had people tell me the reason they like Pueblo is because we have kep our history alive and people seem to have a kind of city pride that is lost is most urban centers today. So a long winded answer as to why in some areas I am slow to change.

That is, also, why people tell me that if/when Pueblo grows like the Springs or Denver they think I will be the first to say I dont like the new Pueblo. They might have a point, in the end I might not like what I have been wishing for.

[acw007]

It will be interesting to see how it does especially during the non local growing season when they are nothing more then a glorified grocery store. If its going to work any place it would be up in Fort Collins as most people in Pueblo, including my self, would just go to the grocery store. Or if we do go to local stores we go to the small mom and pop stores that I have pictured before.

We produce a lot of local produce during the winter because we have a lot of greenhouses so it will do just fine. Beyond that the market place will also have green restaurants, coffee shops, and things of that nature. The top three floors of the market hall will also house green business witch we are already a mecca for. It really is different than a grocery store thought. Fair trade practices really make all the difference in the world and building its self will be a testament to Fort Collins commitment to green building practices. They are targeting LEED platinum. The city of Fort Collins mandates that all government building must obtain at least LEED Gold certification. We were only the third city in the world to enact such a policy and coupled with FortZED people form all over the nation will visit this center and marvel and its design. Did I mention we were also the first city in America to let you choose where your power comes from. Downtown Fort Collins is wind powered and our rooftops and awnings are solar panels. By 2014 we will be the largest zero energy district in the world.

[Eeyore]

We produce a lot of local produce during the winter because we have a lot of greenhouses so it will do just fine. Beyond that the market place will also have green restaurants, coffee shops, and things of that nature. The top three floors of the market hall will also house green business witch we are already a mecca for. It really is different than a grocery store thought. Fair trade practices really make all the difference in the world and building its self will be a testament to Fort Collins commitment to green building practices. They are targeting LEED platinum. The city of Fort Collins mandates that all government building must obtain at least LEED Gold certification. We were only the third city in the world to enact such a policy and coupled with FortZED people form all over the nation will visit this center and marvel and its design. Did I mention we were also the first city in America to let you choose where your power comes from. Downtown Fort Collins is wind powered and our rooftops and awnings are solar panels. By 2014 we will be the largest zero energy district in the world.

Good you guys can use the engery we produce!

:P

Take pictures when they build it!

:)

[acw007]

Maybe that is because I come from a very old town with old ways of doing things. People called Pueblo the Baghdad of Colorado I would say we are more like the Bronx of Colorado. Old yet with some new areas but most everyone living the "Bronx lifestyle" You can find restaurants and stores that no other city in Colorado has, even Denver. Because of that Pueblo has kep its charm that a lot of towns have lost. In fact I have had people tell me the reason they like Pueblo is because we have kep our history alive and people seem to have a kind of city pride that is lost is most urban centers today. So a long winded answer as to why in some areas I am slow to change.

That is, also, why people tell me that if/when Pueblo grows like the Springs or Denver they think I will be the first to say I dont like the new Pueblo. They might have a point, in the end I might not like what I have been wishing for.

That could be true… those emotions often come with change. We’ve had our fair share of those issues in Fort Collins… Mostly from old people and the like 12 Mexicans and 3 black people we have. The Asians don’t complain… :haha:

Sorry if that offends anyone. But honestly the only people that complain about growth in our downtown are the minorities that live in the Buckingham neighborhood adjacent to New Belgium. They ask for changes and improvements to their neighborhoods, we comply, new companies move in and they complain about the increased traffic and noise when they’ve been living one block away from downtown their entire lives anyway. What did they expect? Did they expect downtown to lay dormant when our population increased by 100,000 people between 1980 and 2009?

[acw007]

Good you guys can use the engery we produce!

:P

Take pictures when they build it!

:)

That’s not exactly how it works lol. The idea behind FortZED is that all the energy used in the area is produced in the area.

[Eeyore]

That’s not exactly how it works lol. The idea behind FortZED is that all the energy used in the area is produced in the area.

So you guys dont want to be part of the national grid?

:shrug:

[Eeyore]

That could be true… those emotions often come with change. We’ve had our fair share of those issues in Fort Collins… Mostly from old people and the like 12 Mexicans and 3 black people we have. The Asians don’t complain… :haha:

Sorry if that offends anyone. But honestly the only people that complain about growth in our downtown are the minorities that live in the Buckingham neighborhood adjacent to New Belgium. They ask for changes and improvements to their neighborhoods, we comply, new companies move in and they complain about the increased traffic and noise when they’ve been living one block away from downtown their entire lives anyway. What did they expect? Did they expect downtown to lay dormant when our population increased by 100,000 people between 1980 and 2009?

Dont forget about the people who move by airports then complain that its loud. DUH its a airport!

:koko:

[acw007]

So you guys dont want to be part of the national grid?

:shrug:

The city will eventually have its own smart grid.

[Eeyore]

The city will eventually have its own smart grid.

It will be interesting to see what happens and if Fort Collins can pull it off. Right now Pueblo produces more power then we use and that is before any of the large projects start.

[acw007]

Dont forget about the people who move by airports then complain that its loud. DUH its a airport!

:koko:

Right? I lived downtown for 13 years and never had issues with noise. Maybe because I enjoyed the noise or got used to it? but I never had issues with the noise and I lived closer to downtown than the complainers. I should probably mention that I have a personal connection to the biggest complainers here.. I even have family members that live on three sides of the loudmouths house that have no issue with development and noise in the downtown. My biggest problem with this person is she is derailing large projects that could enrich our community and the public thinks she speaks for the entire neighborhood or community when in reality she speaks for herself and she doesn’t even live in the area. I know for a fact that the person who complains the most about development in downtown Fort Collins moved out of town years ago when she got married and only comes back to bitch. She maintains the outside of her home because no one will buy the shithole.

Oh this reminds me of when she was bitching about them building the one Wal-Mart in Fort Collins! The person in question complained for years about the then proposed super center because she believe it would cause an upturn in traffic threw her street (I’ve never seen more than one car on said street at a time) But the second the store opened she was the first in line to shop there and even posted an opinion article in the paper about how she shops there everyday and how Wal-Mart is such an integral part of the community. Hypocrites…
Anyway I feel better now :)

[Eeyore]

Right? I lived downtown for 13 years and never had issues with noise. Maybe because I enjoyed the noise or got used to it? but I never had issues with the noise and I lived closer to downtown than the complainers. I should probably mention that I have a personal connection to the biggest complainers here.. I even have family members that live on three sides of the loudmouths house that have no issue with development and noise in the downtown. My biggest problem with this person is she is derailing large projects that could enrich our community and the public thinks she speaks for the entire neighborhood or community when in reality she speaks for herself and she doesn’t even live in the area. I know for a fact that the person who complains the most about development in downtown Fort Collins moved out of town years ago when she got married and only comes back to bitch. She maintains the outside of her home because no one will buy the shithole.

Anyway I feel better now :)
NIMBYs, we all have them. They need to get together and move in the same town and leave us alone lol

[acw007]

It will be interesting to see what happens and if Fort Collins can pull it off. Right now Pueblo produces more power then we use and that is before any of the large projects start.

We can pull it off. The sponsors are absolutely top notch and include HP, IBM, and Lockheed Martin. The proposal will cost hundreds of millions of dollars but a huge portion is already funded and implementation should start this year.

[wong21fr]

Also, I looked up Colfax Ave on wiki and it is 26.1 miles long. Thus, I predict that in the next 20 years once Pueblo Springs Parkway is complete and stretches from highway 47, the Caesar Cavies Highway, in Pueblo thru Pueblo Springs ranch and the Pueblo Springs Tech Park finally ending some place yet to be determined in El Paso county it will be not only the longer but one of the most important roads in the state!

This will be awsome to say in 2020:

What is the longest road in the state of Colorado? Answer: Pueblo Springs Ranch Parkway! Not a Denver street but a Pueblo Parkway, I cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:cool:

This is why they set up the Colorado State Mental Health Hospital in Peublo. Mass delusions are common.

Anyways, I really do appreciate how Eyeore maintains this endless sense of optimism regarding Pueblo, though knowing that he is of the old blood that runs the city makes me a little uneasy. Who knows what kind of connections he has that could rain misfortune down on those of us who don't think of Pueblo in such high regards. ;)

Though why would you talk about history and then compare Pueblo to the Bronx rather than Baghdad? One has about as much history as a wet fart, the other has HISTORY.

[wong21fr]

That could be true… those emotions often come with change. We’ve had our fair share of those issues in Fort Collins… Mostly from old people and the like 12 Mexicans and 3 black people we have. The Asians don’t complain… :haha:


What, so Fort Collins in now striving to be like Boulder? White with an ingrained passive racism?

There's a reason that CSU is more diverse that CU and the city is a big portion of that.

[acw007]

What, so Fort Collins in now striving to be like Boulder? White with an ingrained passive racism?

There's a reason that CSU is more diverse that CU and the city is a big portion of that.

I'm sure that sounds offensive but I'm actually black and mexican so yeah... that’s not really an excuse but lord knows Fort Collins is racially deprived. I think we strive to be what Boulder could have been.

[Eeyore]

This is why they set up the Colorado State Mental Health Hospital in Peublo. Mass delusions are common.

Anyways, I really do appreciate how Eyeore maintains this endless sense of optimism regarding Pueblo, though knowing that he is of the old blood that runs the city makes me a little uneasy. Who knows what kind of connections he has that could rain misfortune down on those of us who don't think of Pueblo in such high regards. ;)

Though why would you talk about history and then compare Pueblo to the Bronx rather than Baghdad? One has about as much history as a wet fart, the other has HISTORY.

I am a optimist but it is based on facts, the Parkway when built will start at highway 47 and extend to El Paso County so its not a matter of if but when.

Not sure where you going with your Bronx and Baghdad comparison and it was something I thought of tonight as Pueblo has a lot in common with places like the Bronx.

007 now your example makes sense and I see where you are going with it. I would think you would like Pueblo more as we are more racially diverse and in many ways more cosmopolitan then Fort Collins and Colorado Springs.

[Front_Range_Guy]

More diverse? Yes. Hell... I think the Security-Widefield area is more diverse than Colorado Springs. Pueblo is not Cosmopolitan. Gritty in spots? Yes... but Cosmopolitan? Not even a little.

[Eeyore]

I did some research on Cosmopolitan, here is what I found:

Cosmopolitan may refer to:

1. A city/place or person that embraces its multicultural demographics

2. World citizen, one who eschews traditional geopolitical divisions derived from national citizenship

3. Cosmopolitanism, the idea that all of humanity belongs to a single moral community

4. Cosmopolitan Society/Cosmopolitan City, where people of many ethnicities, religions and cultures meet and live in close proximity (especially applied to busy sea ports)


The first one and the last one apply to what I am referring to.

Lets start with the first one:

A city/place or person that embraces its multicultural demographics

Now in order to discuss this we need to look up multicultural:

The term multiculturalism generally refers to the acceptance of various cultural divisions for the sake of diversity that applies to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the scale of an organization such as a school, business, neighborhood, city or nation.

As we have noted Pueblo is one of the most diverse cities in the state and defiantly more diverse then Colorado Springs, Fort Collins and Boulder. In fact in my high school I was in the minority.

Now on to the last part of the definition of Cosmopolitan:

Cosmopolitan Society/Cosmopolitan City, where people of many ethnicities, religions and cultures meet and live in close proximity (especially applied to busy sea ports)

As we have noted Pueblo has a number of different ethnicities, but Pueblo also has different religions and cultures that live and work here and the city and is very accepting of gay people. Granted we are not by a sea port but we are on the cross roads of the Sante Fe Trail, major highways, rivers and rail roads that have helped create a more cosmopolitan city then normally would of been here.

Summery:

In my opinion Pueblo is obviously not as cosmopolitan as most very large cities like NYC, Chicago, Orlando etc but we are more so then cities like Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Cheyenne, Casper and Boulder. Especially if you look at it from a per capita perspective Pueblo does more then hold our own with the major cities in the United States, especially Denver as we have nice urban areas and extended urban areas with little Italy, gay clubs, many religious institutions, other ethnic areas etc. We, also, have nice suburbs. Considering Pueblo is only 100,000 people that is a accomplishment.

:grouphug:

[Fir Na Tine 343]

I would love for someone to read this that had never been to Pueblo and then take a trip out there and read it all over again. Not bashing it, just think it would be interesting to see an outsiders view of the cosmopolitan Pueblo.

I will give you per capita, but trust me CS has a large diverse population on the southeast, south central and south side of town. The southeast side has some of the most interesting areas in the city (not pretty by any means) but very diverse, just look off of University drive, maybe Mazalatan Circle. The amount of different cultures found on these streets alone is impressive. I get to see an interesting inside look of these neighborhoods due to my job, and it never fails every day to open my eyes to the cultural differences of these neighborhoods. All the surrounding schools in this area have flip flopped who the minority is. Not to mention the large amount of very authentic grocery stores and restaurants that are on the fringes of these neighborhoods. Many people don't experience it because of the location in the city.

[Fir Na Tine 343]

High-speed passenger rail being planned between El Paso and Denver
Comments 10 | Recommend 1
July 9, 2009 - 10:21 AM
PAM ZUBECK
THE GAZETTE
Colorado will partner with New Mexico and Texas to apply for a high-speed rail corridor designation between El Paso and Denver, running through New Mexico, Gov. Bill Ritter announced today in a press release.

Congress has authorized up to 11 high-speed corridors across the U.S., although only 10 corridors have been designated. The three-state partnership is seeking the 11th designation and will seek federal funding for a feasibility study.

"High-speed rail has long been a conversation in Colorado, and this designation would provide the funding needed to further examine its feasibility," Ritter said in the release. "There is a great deal of movement of people, goods and services along the Front Range and the entire Colorado-Texas-New Mexico corridor, and it is high time Congress designate a Western corridor. This designation would connect our communities, increase economic opportunities, create jobs, and lead Colorado's transportation infrastructure forward."

Earlier this year, President Obama launched an effort to develop a national network of high-speed passenger rail lines, the release said. The president unveiled a plan identifying $8 billion in federal stimulus funds and a separate five-year, $5 billion investment as a down payment to jump-start the nation's high-speed rail lines.

"The overwhelming success of the New Mexico RailRunner is proof of the demand for more modern, efficient and environmentally friendly transportation options," New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson said in the release. "High-speed rail is the future of our country and is going to be a major boost to the economic vitality of the cities and states along its routes."

Texas Governor Rick Perry also lauded the partnership.

Colorado, New Mexico and Texas could receive up to $5 million from the Federal Railroad Administration under the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 to study the project. The three states will submit the joint pre-application on Friday.

[wong21fr]

Eyore, you'll twist the definition of anything if it suits your purpose, just when are you planning to run for office?

Now that's interesting news on the high speed corridor application. I'm sure that Snyder will be in here to comment on this but I think it's a good political move. Rather than having CO go it alone we would now have two other states, two with good connections within the White House (CO and NM) and one that has a massive influence in Congress. This won't do a thing for the I-70 portion of the RMA's plan, but it's more likely to actually come to fruition.

[wong21fr]

Here's a interesting story on another industry that is seeking a resurgence and will effect southern Colorado, an intersting fact is that this would be the first uranium mill built in the United States in the past 25 years:

Approval for the Pinon Ridge Uranium Mill: Montrose County Planning Commission votes: Yes (http://www.montrosepress.com/articles/2009/07/02/news/doc4a4c4d14049d0620992503.txt)

By Katharhynn Heidelberg
Daily Press Senior Writer [/SIZE]

MONTROSE — It's a go for the Piñon Ridge uranium mill's special use permit.
The Montrose County Planning Commission unanimously approved the permit application for Energy Fuels Wednesday, after dozens of questions during a reopened public hearing.
If county commissioners go on to approve the permit, EF can site a uranium and vanadium mill about 12 miles from Paradox. The area is zoned for agriculture and the special use permit is required to allow the milling activity.
Energy Fuels must also seek state approval for its operations, which is expected to be a lengthy process.
Opponents, which on Wednesday included actress Darryl Hannah, are fearful of the health risks they say are posed by uranium ore. Some also question whether a special use permit can be granted under an exemption for mining, which, they say, does not specify milling.
"I'm pretty concerned about short-term thinking leading to a disaster," said Hannah, who grew up in the area and maintains a home in San Miguel County, as she stood with other mill protesters prior to the meeting. "It's a regional issue, not just a county issue."
But others, including hundreds of West End residents, support the mill because it will create jobs.
Because Wednesday's hearing addressed changes to permit conditions, further public comment was allowed. (The Daily Press was not able to attend all portions of the hearing, due to deadline). Although it was limited strictly to the proposed changes, planning chair Dave Laursen had to repeatedly remind people to stay on topic.
Audience members Ron Houston, who lives close by the mill site, and Chris Myers of Telluride immediately raised concerns that some of the changes were apparently received as late as Wednesday afternoon.
Laursen said each change to the application — eight in all, some of which were semantic — would be individually addressed and public comment accepted on them.
A good deal of discussion centered on condition 10. Energy Fuels issued a letter Wednesday over 10's language: "only raw ore processed onsite may be stored in the tailing cells."
The company said the mill was designed to extract both uranium and vanadium from ore mined on the Colorado Plateau, and that would constitute primary feed.
"However...we would like to be able to process the residuals from water treatment plants located at our mines and other mines that feed ore to the Piñon Ridge Mill," the letter said.
According to EF, if water treatment residuals exceed 0.05 percent uranium by weight, it is essentially uranium ore.
EF's environmental manager Frank Filas told commissioners the permit language needed to also specify vanadium and that the use of the word "raw" would exclude the water from treatment plants. But EF would have to remove uranium waste from mine waters. The company had not specified that in its application because it makes no distinction between uranium ore from rock and uranium from water.
Filas said the company anticipates fewer than seven truckloads of residuals per year.
The commission, he said, could reject the amended language and then EF would submit an amended application later.
"We would like to put an end to conjecture about alternate feeds," he said, adding that EF was not applying to process alternate feeds.
Mill opponents streamed back and forth to the microphone. Jerry Phelps of Placerville called the language "obviously open-ended."
"It does not restrict uranium to what's mined here. I don't want a dump in my back yard," he said, while Durango attorney Travis Stills, who spoke frequently during the hearing, said it smacked of sham processing.
Stills represents the Paradox Valley Sustainability Association, which opposes the mill. He wanted to know why the county wasn't waiting for EF to go through the state's process.
"It's premature to let any of this go forward," he said, identifying as critical the feeds coming in and the possibility of direct disposal.
Energy Fuels CEO George Glasier later took the mic to say the mill could take in more ore from other areas, if the price rises. "We never said it was from Montrose County," he said.
The Colorado Plateau covers parts of western Colorado and eastern Utah. Ore from New Mexico is a slight possibility, but EF did not anticipate ore from distances much greater than 100 miles.
It was later suggested condition 10 be changed to read that only raw, unprocessed uranium and or vanadium ore or feed stock at the mill would be allowed on the site. Planning Commissioner Lynn Vogel suggested EF, the county attorney and Stills discuss the new wording, which was done during a break.
Earlier during the hearing, the commission also said a condition that would have nullified the permit if operations don't begin within five years had been changed to seven years.
Planning director Steve White said the seven-year clock would begin ticking upon approval by the county commissioners.
The planning commission also addressed language changes concerning the mill's water supply and verification of all sources of water; that the permit would not preclude the county from taking legal or administrative action to enforce permit conditions; mill operator responsibilities for monitoring; mitigation of impact on water; provision of truck haulage records and compliance with all applicable laws.
Members of the public wanted to be sure they could access the haulage records in order to know what was going into the mill. Upon a Bedrock resident's suggestion, the condition was modified to require haulage records, to the county, for all material going into the mill instead of just “mill feed."
Glasier said he would happily "bury (the county) in paper," if that's what was wanted. But he didn't see what purpose providing records directly to the public would serve, because the public isn't responsible for running the mill.
"If they have a problem, they should contact the appropriate agencies," who could then provide the requested records, Glasier said.
"You are public servants," Hannah said. "It is in the public's interest to know what toxic chemicals are going through a community." She said the records should be provided to the public on at least a quarterly basis.
David Glenn of Ophir suggested requiring the information to be posted regularly on the county's Web site. "This is my official request for that information," he said.
Laursen said people wanting specific information on haulage could arrange to receive it through the county.
To commnet on this story visit www.montrosepress.com (http://www.montrosepress.com/)

[Eeyore]

That would be good news for them....

[Eeyore]

That is lame if the high speed rail does not include Pueblo and I will not support it.

[Eeyore]

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/josseppie/IMG_1404.jpg

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/josseppie/IMG_1405.jpg

Up date on the police complex.

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/josseppie/IMG_1409.jpg

The crane building the Parkview Medical Center Tower. You can see that today its a typical hazy summer day in Pueblo but with some clouds. The temp. is around 100!

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/josseppie/IMG_1406.jpg

Here is what is going on at the state fair grounds for the rest of the summer. I am so exited for the state fair and will be talking about that more as it gets closer. Once it starts I will began a 11 day look at the fair and talk about its history, economic impact and future as well as look at all the great historical buildings located in the grounds as this is truly a Pueblo gem.

[wong21fr]

That is lame if the high speed rail does not include Pueblo and I will not support it.

Eyeore, I'm sure that it would include a stop in Puebo, it's just that they were mentioning the major cities that would be serviced in each state.

[Eeyore]

Eyeore, I'm sure that it would include a stop in Puebo, it's just that they were mentioning the major cities that would be serviced in each state.

Then they left out a major city, but as long as they include Pueblo I will let it slide!

:P

[Front_Range_Guy]

I would love for someone to read this that had never been to Pueblo and then take a trip out there and read it all over again. Not bashing it, just think it would be interesting to see an outsiders view of the cosmopolitan Pueblo.

I will give you per capita, but trust me CS has a large diverse population on the southeast, south central and south side of town. The southeast side has some of the most interesting areas in the city (not pretty by any means) but very diverse, just look off of University drive, maybe Mazalatan Circle. The amount of different cultures found on these streets alone is impressive. I get to see an interesting inside look of these neighborhoods due to my job, and it never fails every day to open my eyes to the cultural differences of these neighborhoods. All the surrounding schools in this area have flip flopped who the minority is. Not to mention the large amount of very authentic grocery stores and restaurants that are on the fringes of these neighborhoods. Many people don't experience it because of the location in the city.

I agree with this.

[Eeyore]

I would love for someone to read this that had never been to Pueblo and then take a trip out there and read it all over again. Not bashing it, just think it would be interesting to see an outsiders view of the cosmopolitan Pueblo.

I will give you per capita, but trust me CS has a large diverse population on the southeast, south central and south side of town. The southeast side has some of the most interesting areas in the city (not pretty by any means) but very diverse, just look off of University drive, maybe Mazalatan Circle. The amount of different cultures found on these streets alone is impressive. I get to see an interesting inside look of these neighborhoods due to my job, and it never fails every day to open my eyes to the cultural differences of these neighborhoods. All the surrounding schools in this area have flip flopped who the minority is. Not to mention the large amount of very authentic grocery stores and restaurants that are on the fringes of these neighborhoods. Many people don't experience it because of the location in the city.

Let me venture a guess as to what they might say:

If they come from a large city like NYC or Chicago they will most likely laugh. However, if they come from a smaller city then there is a good chance they might agree with me. If they come from a city about the size of Colorado Springs then it just depends as I could see positive or negative reactions.

One thing I can guarantee is no matter what they say I will always argue that Pueblo is cosmopolitan!

:whip:

[Eeyore]

This was in the Pueblo Chieftain and is more good news for the Pueblo economy as we start to come out of the recession.

:P

"The U.S. Senate this week moved closer to paying for accelerated work at a facility that will destroy Pueblo’s aging stockpile of chemical weapons.

Colorado’s two Democratic senators, Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, said Wednesday that the Senate Appropriations Committee had approved $92.5 million for work here as part of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill for fiscal year 2010.

That bill will now go before the full Senate"

The link: http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/07/09/news/local/doc4a55820255030159869772.txt

[Eeyore]

Just to give everyone a idea of how big the state fair is in Pueblo the Chieftain is already running major articles about this years fair and its still over a month away. As the states largest event gets closer I will keep focusing on it so everyone knows how important this event is to Pueblo and the state of Colroado.

Today's article talks about the annual kids day parade that began in 1959. Many kids in Pueblo have grown up since then going to this parade every summer.

A 50th anniversary is a special occasion for anybody.

That includes the annual Colorado State Fair Kids Day Parade.

The parade will be celebrating its 50th anniversary on Sept. 5 with plenty of events on tap for the occasion.

The festivities will be kick-started with a pancake breakfast at 7 a.m., followed by a blast from the past car show put on by the Al Kaly Shrine Club that will feature local and regional street rods and antique cars. There also will be a 1950s style dance performance, a children's ID booth to assist parents in the event of losing their child and Pueblo Kiwanis Club will be bringing a Junglemobile, which has separate cubicles inside, each with a lesson, to teach kids about safety.

The parade is scheduled at 10 a.m. on Abriendo Avenue between Jackson and Broadway avenues.

The link: http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/07/10/news/local/doc4a56d1b1e3b96098566752.txt

[Fir Na Tine 343]

Could be worse I guess.

Springs ranks 41st among nation’s 100 biggest cities
by Becky Hurley

Published: June 19,2009

Time posted: 11:43 am

Tags: Brookings Institute, Colorado Springs, economic performance

Colorado Springs’ economic performance amid the recession ranks No. 41 of the 100 largest U.S. cites, according to a Brookings Institution study about the economic downturn’s impact on urban America.

Denver ranked No. 39.

In its “Metro Monitor” report, released this week, the Brookings Institute assessed how the recession has affected big-city employment, wages, gross metropolitan product, housing prices and foreclosure rates.

The primary conclusion was that the recession has had very different impacts on cities. As a result, an economic recovery will likely vary from region to region or city to city.

“All metropolitan areas are feeling the effects of this recession, but the distress is not shared equally,” Alan Berube, research director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at Washington-based Brookings and co-author of the report, said in a statement.

“While some areas of the country have experienced only a shallow downturn, and may be emerging from the recession already, people living in metro areas that are now performing weakest economically should prepare themselves for a long recovery period,” Berube said.

The overall rankings were based on four factors:

•Change in employment from the peak quarter to the first quarter of 2009.
•Change in the unemployment rate from March 2008 to March 2009.
•Change in gross metro product from the peak quarter to the first quarter of 2009.
•Change in housing prices from Q1 2008 to Q1 2009.
Colorado Springs showed a 3.9 percent drop in unemployment from the peak quarter to first quarter 2009. The unemployment rate increased by 3 percent. The gross metro product fell from the peak quarter by 2.1 percent and housing prices declined by 0.9 percent on a year-over-year basis.

[Front_Range_Guy]

Hey Fir Na Tine, didn't LandCO put a new facade on this building before things went bad? I don't think anyone has ever posted any pictures of that.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c243/Chris80906/September282007013.jpg

[Eeyore]

Nice building!

[Fir Na Tine 343]

Ya they did. Im heading down there for some stuff right now. Ill tak a couple. Might snap some of the mining exchange work too. I saw you posted that the other day. They have been doing major work in that thing for at least a month now.

[Eeyore]

Ya they did. Im heading down there for some stuff right now. Ill tak a couple. Might snap some of the mining exchange work too. I saw you posted that the other day. They have been doing major work in that thing for at least a month now.

Feel free to take one of the PB&T building again!

:tup:

[Fir Na Tine 343]

Hey Fir Na Tine, didn't LandCO put a new facade on this building before things went bad? I don't think anyone has ever posted any pictures of that.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c243/Chris80906/September282007013.jpg

Here it is today. I think they did a pretty good job.
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/dtCS014-1.jpg

[Fir Na Tine 343]

I did a couple of other updates while I was down there. I dont think these have been posted before.

Here is the new Cornerstone Arts Building on Cascade
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/dtCS006-1.jpg
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/dtCS005-1.jpg

Pretty unique architecture with those colored panels

[Fir Na Tine 343]

This is a building that has had many occupants over the years. Recently it had become very run down to the point of almost being condemed. It just recently underwent a major renovation which was completed in the last month or so.
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/dtCS008-1.jpg

The Giddings building finished a mural that reflects on the buildings history. It covers what was once a bland concrete wall.
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/dtCS013-1.jpg

[Fir Na Tine 343]

This is what they are calling 28WEST. It is a new condo complex being built right on fountain creek and monument valley park running trail. It is a 5 story building that I believe will offer 18 condos. Its just west of Monument and Cascade at 28 West Monument in downtown. You can see concepts at twoeightwest.com
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/dtCS001-1.jpg
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/dtCS003-1.jpg

[Fir Na Tine 343]

Here you go Eeyore
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/101_0285-1-1.jpg

[Front_Range_Guy]

I posted Cornerstone and Giddings a long time ago, but the rest are new... and that's probably the best pic of cornerstone that's ever been posted here.

[Eeyore]

Nice pictures but I think I like the People bank building better before the remodel. I am not sure why they spent so much money on it as it looked good the way it was.

[Fir Na Tine 343]

I posted Cornerstone and Giddings a long time ago, but the rest are new... and that's probably the best pic of cornerstone that's ever been posted here.

I figured you had at some point, just couldnt remember for sure. Had you seen that 28 West? That went up in a hurry.

[Fir Na Tine 343]

Nice pictures but I think I like the People bank building better before the remodel. I am not sure why they spent so much money on it as it looked good the way it was.

I like it better now. I think it was a pretty bland building before

[Front_Range_Guy]

No. I didn't realize 28West was under construction.

The remodel looks good. I'm guessing it cost much less for Landco to remodel the building and find a tenant than start from the ground up, Eeyore.

[acw007]

I did a couple of other updates while I was down there. I dont think these have been posted before.

Here is the new Cornerstone Arts Building on Cascade
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/dtCS006-1.jpg
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/dtCS005-1.jpg

Pretty unique architecture with those colored panels

Lovely building, Kind of looks like a high school but still lovely. Do you know who designed it? I wish our art museum would build a new building… that’s not to say I’m not happy with the current building but there is really no room to expand and I think any addition to the current space would be a mistake.

[Eeyore]

I did a couple of other updates while I was down there. I dont think these have been posted before.

Here is the new Cornerstone Arts Building on Cascade
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/dtCS006-1.jpg
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/dtCS005-1.jpg

Pretty unique architecture with those colored panels

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/josseppie/IMG_0656.jpg

Looks like the Pueblo library, was it the same architect?

:shrug:

[acw007]

This is what they are calling 28WEST. It is a new condo complex being built right on fountain creek and monument valley park running trail. It is a 5 story building that I believe will offer 18 condos. Its just west of Monument and Cascade at 28 West Monument in downtown. You can see concepts at twoeightwest.com
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/dtCS001-1.jpg
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/dtCS003-1.jpg

I looked at the renderings and I’m not a fan… though the site looks removed from the downtown so I suppose it fits in, right? Infill is infill, not everything has to stand out. Do you know what pricing is like in this building?

[Eeyore]

This came across my google alerts for Pueblo and is some potentially good news! I hope they pick Pueblo.

:fingerscrossed:

Electric truck prototype passes road test

July 10, 2009 --
BOULDER - A Boulder-based company's prototype of a delivery truck powered by a lithium-ion phosphate battery is producing better than expected results.

Boulder Electric Vehicle LLC rolled out its first prototype full-size electric truck earlier this month revealing more power at takeoff, acceleration and a farther range than designers expected.

The company, in search of funding, cleared the first round of cuts to receive $30 million in stimulus funding from the Department of Energy, which the company would use to produce a test run of 250 all-electric delivery trucks, said Carter Brown, the company's chief executive. He should know by mid-September whether or not the company receives the funding.

The prototype was expected to travel 100 miles to 120 miles between battery charges, but tests are producing distances beyond that, Brown said. "We are finding with aggressive driving we are getting better numbers, and with gentle driving even greater results."

The prototype was built at the company's plant at 4747 North 26th St. in North Boulder, but Brown is looking for a location for producing its pilot run and eventually assembly line for producing anywhere from 10,000 to 50,000 vehicles per year.

"I'd really like to stay in Boulder County," Brown said, but added that may not be feasible. "
We are looking at Pueblo and Golden as well."

Brown is working with the Colorado Office of Economic Development and the Denver Economic Development Corp. to search for locations as well as investors.

The company has been lining up demonstrations for potential investors. Brown said there were a couple of interested parties, but he couldn't disclose the names. "We are doing a lot of conferences where there are potential buyers," he said. "I am trying to get sales going on the delivery truck this year."

The delivery trucks are designed to carry up to 6,000 pounds of cargo. Due to the low noise, companies might be able to use the vehicles during hours when noisy trucks aren't allowed.

While the trucks will cost around $100,000, there are a number of federal and state tax incentives to offset the price.

"There are very good tax incentives for customers to buy our vehicles during the next three to five years after which the tax incentives start expiring," Brown told the Business Report in May. "This year a government-related entity can buy one of our trucks for $100,000 and only have to pay $5,000. Those incentives change from year to year."

Colorado has one of the highest tax credits for purchasing an alternative fuel vehicle. The credits can go as high as 85 percent of the cost of the vehicle. Every state has different limits. Federal tax credits are around $10,000 per truck and $6,000 for a van.

Brown hopes to sell the vehicles to companies like United Parcel Service of America Inc. (NYSE: UPS), FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) as well as other utility and delivery companies. The fleet sales will operate on 50 percent down and 50 percent on delivery.

Boulder Electric Vehicle currently employs eight people, but that number could increase significantly once manufacturing ramps up. Brown said his company could bring 2,000 jobs to the Front Range in five to seven years.

Edit: If Pueblo can court them with 2,000 new jobs that would be a tremendous boost to the metro area! Especially if you add that on top of all the other alternative energy jobs coming to the city!

:omg:

[Eeyore]

This was in the Examiner and is a much better story because they include Pueblo!

:D


High Speed passenger and commuter trains could be in Colorado's future. The Denver Daily News is reporting that Colorado Governor Bill Ritter has partnered with Texas Gov. Rick Perry and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to get the I-25 Corridor between El Paso, Texas and Denver designated a federal High Speed Rail Corridor.

This designation doesn't guarantee that high speed trains will ever come to Colorado, instead it means that Uncle Sam would give the three states $5 million to study the feasibility of fast trains running between El Paso, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Denver. The Rocky Mountain Rail Authority is already conducting a similar study involving commuter rail on the Front Range and a high speed train to Vail. New Mexico already has a commuter train service linking Albquerque and Santa Fe

[Front_Range_Guy]

Yes Eeyore, same architect. I believe his name is Antoinne Predock. He's from Albuquerque.

28West is architecturally boring. It's located northwest of the CBD, but it's still a great location. Within walking distance of parks, trails, The Fine Arts Center, Cornerstone is across the street. Even the walk into the heart of downtown is doable. I love that part of the city around Colorado College. I don't remember the pricing, but when The Gazette wrote about it months ago, I do remember it being predictably over-priced.

[Fir Na Tine 343]

That would be an awesone location, I agree thats a great nieghborhood. Thats a very practicle walk into the busy districts and I have done it many of times. It is a boring design.

[Eeyore]

Today the high speed train proposal was in the Pueblo Chieftain! I wonder if Colorado will have stops only in the 3 cities listed or if it will eventually include other cities.

Pueblo leaders were among the earliest proponents of the idea.

Former state Rep. Dorothy Butcher of Pueblo campaigned on the idea starting in 2002 and then led a legislative coalition in support of planning work.

It’s too early to say where all of the stops on the proposed route would be, said Udall’s spokeswoman, Marissa Padilla.

Colorado stops are expected to at least include Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Denver.

The link: http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/07/11/business/local/doc4a57f475cecda849399585.txt

CSU Pueblo is starting its seond year of football and they already have tv coverage! GO THUNDERWOLVS!

The Altitude Sports & Entertainment Network will carry six Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football games this season.

The games will be available live on Altitude 2, with rebroadcasts on Altitude at 1 p.m. the following day.

Colorado State University-Pueblo's game against Western State on Oct. 24 is part of that package. The ThunderWolves' homecoming game is a 2 p.m. kickoff.

[bcp]

wow..it says up to 200mph for that train...

i wonder who the three other states are that are also applying?


bcp

[Eeyore]

That is a good question, I would like to know as well. Also, I wonder why they don't go north from Denver to say Fort Collins and Cheyenne and Casper Wyoming?


Here is a map that includes all the cities with stops.

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/josseppie/highspeedrail.jpg

[Eeyore]

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/josseppie/IMG_1410.jpg

This is another look at Pueblo's train yard. This is the main control tower, I also saw some more smaller ones.

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/josseppie/IMG_1411.jpg

This is another historic building in downtown Pueblo built back in 1891!

[Eeyore]

This is kind of funny because they are located in Pueblo at the industrial park!

Within the last few weeks, the General Services Administration has unveiled a new television public service announcement for one of its most popular public services: the government information web portal, USA.gov.

"It's called 'For the People'," explains Teresa Nasif, Director of the Federal Citizen Information Center, part of the Office of Citizen Services and Communications at GSA.

The link: http://www.federalnewsradio.com/index.php?nid=35&sid=1712988

Some spots on you tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XBjwqzRORw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WEwrxw21ZA

[Eeyore]

This was on KKTV.

Southern Colorado could soon be getting its own veteran's cemetery. That's just one of the major topics junior Senator Michael Bennet spoke about Saturday in Colorado Springs.

Bennet says its not a matter of if, but when this cemetery will open. At this roundtable discussion, Bennet heard from several vet advocates on a wide range of topics. But, the veteran's cemetery is the main reason for his appearance in the Springs.

Bennet tells 11 News, the cemetery, which would be either in El Paso or Pueblo County, is needed to relieve the pressures at the Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver.

"I think this is one of the those situations where if we could just get through the bureaucratic red tape, everybody will win. I think people in this part of the state have made a very compelling case about why a vet cemetery is needed here," says Senator Michael Bennet, (D) Colorado.

There's no exact time line for this cemetery, or a location site picked out yet. Bennet also says, he's already getting support for the project from his colleagues in the senate.

Some of the other issues the senator promised he would address include removing combat pay from income requirements. This is so families don't lose their benefits for nutrition and WIC programs if the extra money puts them over the income limits.

Along with Bennet's bill in the Senate, Representative John Salazar is also working on identical legislation for the cemetery in the House.

[Front_Range_Guy]

I'm very pleased that 28west is moving forward. So few projects have recently.

I also think it's great they renovated this building. I haven't seen it in a while.. it was in baaaad shape. I'm surprised they could save it.
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/dtCS008-1.jpg

[Fir Na Tine 343]

It was great they could save it. It has seen hard times, 2 fires I think, then it was abandoned for many years. Turned out to be a nice restoration.

[acw007]

Massive photo I have never seen from between 1999 and 2000:
It only shows a fraction of downtown and several projects have wrapped up since but I think it adequately showcases how developed downtown Fort Collins is.
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg152/acwilson007/ftc_arieal.jpg

[Paulopolis]

^Hey acw, this photo has to be from after 1999-2000 because I was living in Ft. Collins then and several of those buildings around the bus station didn't exist yet at that time. I think the only one that was there at that time was the parking garage on the SW corner of Mason & LaPorte.

[acw007]

It could be from 2001 and that is purely based on the construction you can see on the county’s offices ( the large red brick building in the middle of the picture.) That building, the court house, and the new city hall building all opened in 2002 I believe.

[Eeyore]

Its a nice picture and shows how Fort Collins has Changed but if you go back 10 or so years I would say downtown Pueblo has to get the award for the most development. Before the mid 1990s we did have not the Riverwalk, hotel and convention center and a number of historic buildings that have been re modeled or are being re modeled now were empty and no one went into parts of downtown that are now busy.

[Eeyore]

007

This was in today's Pueblo Chieftain about The CSU system and I am not sure it was in the Fort Collins paper so I thought you might find it interesting. For everyone else I think this shows how the CSU system has a bright future.

A university’s reputation is ingrained in its history - built idea by idea, brick by brick and graduate by graduate over time, as I’ve respectfully learned as Colorado State University System Board of Governors chair.

In its 139-year history, CSU has established itself worldwide, as a university of strong academics, research aimed at solving today’s issues right now, and public service, sharing knowledge and resources to help communities improve their quality of life.

The link: http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/07/12/editorial/doc4a5946574e315960405264.txt

[acw007]

Its a nice picture and shows how Fort Collins has Changed but if you go back 10 or so years I would say downtown Pueblo has to get the award for the most development. Before the mid 1990s we did have not the Riverwalk, hotel and convention center and a number of historic buildings that have been re modeled or are being re modeled now were empty and no one went into parts of downtown that are now busy.

If we are talking about the most change in the past 10 years than maybe Pueblo has changed more and isn’t as ghetto as it once was but it all reality we have been revitalizing our downtown since the 70’s. If we are comparing the amount of development in the past decade than Pueblo is behind. We’ve had over 300 residential units constructed downtown since 2005 and projections show 1,500 units by 2020. I don’t really consider civic or government building in the same league as a private sector development because such projects aren’t really dictated by the market, they are dictated by need. Overall the private sector still has yet to take over in downtown Pueblo.

[Eeyore]

If we are talking about the most change in the past 10 years than maybe Pueblo has changed more and isn’t as ghetto as it once was but it all reality we have been revitalizing our downtown since the 70’s. If we are comparing the amount of development in the past decade than Pueblo is behind. We’ve had over 300 residential units constructed downtown since 2005 and projections show 1,500 units by 2020. I don’t really consider civic or government building in the same league as a private sector development because such projects aren’t really dictated by the market, they are dictated by need. Overall the private sector still has yet to take over in downtown Pueblo.

Pueblo has been trying to redevelop our downtown for a long time, some urban renewal areas go back to the 1950's, but it did not get a big push untill the mid 1990's so yes in someway's downtown Pueblo is behind downtown Fort Collins. However, given how much money we are willing to invest in our downtown we are catching up pretty fast and I think will over take Fort Collins downtown in the coming decade. Also, I am still convinced that size and history matters and no matter what happens with downtown Fort Collins, they will never have the kind of history Pueblo's has and the geographic size, from up town to midtown to lower downtown, not to mention the "extended" urban areas that are next to downtown Pueblo in every direction. Thus, as Pueblo grows we will always have one of the largest historic areas in the state and a "new" area that can accommodate highrises.

Another big boost to Pueblo's downtown could be the high speed rail stop at the historic train depot that it looks like might not extend up to Fort Collins. That will help bring in business as well as help make downtown Pueblo even more dense.

I would agree that private development is different then public development however in many cases the public investment in downtown has made it more attractive for private development and that is the case for downtown Pueblo.

[acw007]

I really don’t need to defend my city any more because the fact of the matter is you are delusional. Pueblo is the Gary Indiana of Colorado and development is only now occurring because it has spilt over from other areas of Colorado. If Pueblo was so great than they wouldn’t have been left in the dust decades ago by all the other cities in the state. You can warp and distort the facts and definitions all you like but putting lipstick on a pig doesn’t change the fact that its still a smelly pig.

I should note the difference between Gary and Pueblo is that Gary has real history and charm.

[citycenter]

You are right on ACW - and thank you for the laugh! I enjoy your responses. ;) I have been to Gary (a long time ago) and you are so right.

[citycenter]

Eeyore, I am ORIGINALLY from Pueblo. I have to tell you though, that sometimes, when I hear all this pro-Pueblo talk, I start to think that Mr. Farrakhan ACTUALLY makes sense.... then I pinch myself and stop taking crazy pills.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/07/12/lemon.farrakhan.speaks.cnn

I want Pueblo to be the next Denver as much as you do, believe me. But, my friend, this is NEVER going to happen in our lifetime. It's just not in the cards for Pueblo to be anything more than it already is...:sly:

[Crush_Buds]

As Denver grows, so will Greeley/Loveland/Evans and thus Fort Collins will grow. The Greeley/Evans area has oddly enough been one of the fastest growing areas in the state and the country. Fort Collins will continue to absorb the spillover from Denver and the surrounding smaller cities. Pueblo may continue to grow, but I figure that Fort Collins and its neighbors will be much more linked to one another over the next decade/twenty years/whatever, and that the developments along the northern I-25 corridor will continue to vastly expand and merge. I think acw007 has many valid points, and I think that Fort Collins is on the brink of a very big population and development boom. Pueblo may be on the brink of a large boom too, but there is simply not enough around it to compare with what is to happen and is already going on in Northern Colorado.

[Eeyore]

I agree that northern Colorado, Castle Rock north, will always be larger then southern Colorado, Monument south, and to be honest that is good as I would never want the Pueblo/ Colorado Springs area to be that large. However if the high speed rail gets built from Denver to El Paso Texas with stops in Colorado Springs and Pueblo you could see a major growth corridor extend south and not north. Also, and I feel like I say this over and over, but except for the 2 decades after the steel mill, Alpha Beta and depot closed, Pueblo always was one of the fastest growing cities in the state so its only natural that we grow again. Also 007 has said Fort Collins will build out at about 350,000 people, Pueblo can and will grow way bigger then that so its only a matter of time before we are a larger city with a larger downtown with taller sky scrapers.

About history, I am 100% right as Denver and Pueblo have the most history of any city in Colorado, in fact CF&I helped build the west as it was the largest steel mill west of the Mississippi. Because of that Pueblo and Denver have large urban areas not found in most cities in Colorado, even Colorado Springs.

Finally, I am extremely pro Pueblo but not more then most people who love their towns, I just think people are not use to someone who is pro Pueblo and not stand down when people attack it or have great hopes and dreams of what Pueblo can be.

[Crush_Buds]

No I hear that. I hate hearing someone say Denver is a "cowtown" or small, when they don't realize we have 3 million people in the metro and more come every year. You gotta defend your home, always. Pueblo will grow, I just think it may take a little longer than you think and I think it will be hard to stay at the same constant as its Northern brethren.

[Eeyore]

I am not trying to compare metro area to metro area as I feel that metro areas do not mean as much as they did back in the 1950's and 1960's. Back then you had defined metro areas with a large principal city, say Denver, and suburbs that surround that principal city but they were defiantly suburbs with most of the residents working in Denver. That is not true anymore, most metro areas are nothing but a collection of large cities with one city being the most prominent. Just look at Denver with tech parks like Interlockin and Inverness etc., there are as many if not more business in the suburbs then in the principal city. My point is I am looking at it from a city versus city perspective and Pueblo will always be more important the most cities in Colorado and even more so if we get one of the few stops on the high speed rail as that will create dense living as people will want live and work there. Another factor that will continue to help Pueblo is all the alternative energy companies moving here, just like the one from Boulder that would hire up too 2,000 people not to mention the energy producing companies.

Maybe this wont happen as fast as I would like but take the better part of this century, in the life of a city whats that? European cities have been around for thousands of years thus we are still young and trying to figure out who will be the important cities. I just believe that when its all said and done Pueblo will be one of those cities!

[Crush_Buds]

No matter how they are defined, the metro counties are very strongly interlinked with the core and growth is dependent on one another. MANY people work in the city and live outside of it contrary to what you said, and the opposite applies just as well. Just look at commuter traffic patterns!

And many more people have flocked back to the core after living in the surrounding suburbs.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/19932784/detail.html

Pueblo cannot just simply expand up and not outwards, and the same goes for every other developing city in America. It needs both. Even you have implied in the past that it is imperative for Pueblo's neighboring cities to collaborate together so that they can each offer something for the greater development of the region. A city will not just continue to steadily grow if there is not some sort of support or connection that benefits nearby cities/metros/towns. So you have to include the discussion of supporting metro areas, and Pueblo is nowhere near having the supply or kind of diverse link of surrounding economic/capital in close proximity that is necessary to maintain large and steady growth...yet. Fort Collins has this now.

[Eeyore]

You make some valid points and I agree that cities need each other to grow successfully. Denver is more successful because of Aurora, Highlands Ranch, Fort Collins, Boulder etc and Pueblo is more successful with Colorado Springs and visa versa as well as Monument, Pueblo West, and developments like Bannen Lewis Ranch and Pueblo Springs Ranch.

However when you look at the state as a whole Pueblo and Fort Collins might be about the same size now but both cities are on completely different tracks. Pueblo is considered one of the 3 major cities in the state, those being Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo. Fort Collins is considered to be a very nice college town yet in many ways is tied to Denver for its success making it a satellite city. You you can see that in the political structure, media outlets, and by looking at what cities are the retail and financial centers of the state. Fort Collins, also, does not want to be a large city as they will build out at about 350,000 people while Pueblo wants to be a large city with essentially no build out.

The biggest sign of this is how the 3 state region is planing the high speed rail corridor. As of now its only stops in Colorado are in Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo. If it stays this way, and it might not, that will influence growth for a long time to come. Here is one possible scenario I see.

In northern Colorado you have one major stop from the high speed rail in downtown Denver at Union station. That would mean that downtown Denver will continue to be the focal point for the transportation network in northern Colorado and continue to make downtown Denver the economic and financial center making it the largest and most dense part of the state.

In Southern Colorado you will have two stops on the high speed rail, Colorado Springs and Pueblo. The springs will be the focal point for transportation for the Pikes Peak region and will make its downtown more dense however because of Pueblo's location and having a stop at our historic union train depot in downtown that will continue to make downtown Pueblo the focal point for transportation in southern Colorado. In my opinion that will set the stage for Pueblo's downtown to be just as dense as most major cities and make it the states second largest central business district as essentially downtown Pueblo will be the economic and financial center for southern Colorado.

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/josseppie/highspeedrail.jpg

Looking at this map I think that the politicians have set the stage for what will be the major cities in the future as only 6 will have stops on the high speed rail.

Finally I want to add that I am by no means saying that cities like Fort Collins and Boulder will not be very great towns with no good developments. In fact I think just the opposite and there will be awesome developments and many people will want to live there and think they are the best cities in the state. I am strictly referring to what cities I believe will be considered the "major" cities in the region.

[Fir Na Tine 343]

Colorado did well in these lists.
http://nextgenerationconsulting.com/assets/documents/NextCities_2009-2010_US.pdf

[ragerunner1]

I just posted two new photos threads from the Denver area. What a great city and region.

Golden Triangle Neighborhood (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=171376)
Boulder, CO - Pearl Street Mall Experience (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=171458)

Other Denver area photo threads.
Golden Triangle Neighborhood (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=171376)
Downtown Arvada, CO (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=168907)
Belmar Redevelopment Project (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=168843)
Urban Denver - Uptown/City Park Neighborhoods (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=170474)
Urban Denver - Cherry Creek Area (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=169895)
Littleton, CO and Light Rail Station (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=168794)
Urban Denver - The Arts District on Santa Fe Drive (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=170468)
Confluence Park Area and Roller Coasters (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=169706)
Urban Denver - Highland Neighborhood (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=168905)
Downtown Golden, CO (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=168750)

[Eeyore]

That is awsome!

Mighty Micros: Next Cities™ with population of 100,000-200,000
Small but significant, these “Mighty Micros” don’t have all the fancy-schmancy amenities of
the Super Cities, but they more than make up for it in their accessibility and ease of getting
around. In these cities, you don’t have to wrestle rush-hour traffic, and you’ll probably learn
the names of all your neighbors (even the ones you’d rather not).


Rank City, State
1 Fort Collins, CO
2 Charleston, SC
3 Eugene, OR
4 Cedar Rapids, IA
5 Springfield, IL
6 Cary, NC
7 Ann Arbor, MI
8 Sioux Falls, SD
9 Pueblo, CO
10 Gainesville, FL


I am surprised to see Pueblo included. Congratulations go out to Pueblo and Fort Collins!

:tup:

Not to leave out the Springs:

:cheers:

Midsize Magnets: Next Cities™ with population of 200,000-500,000
The “Midsize Magnets” have accomplished a feat normally reserved for their Super City
siblings: they’ve seen steady increases in the number of young professionals living there.
Sometimes called “Tier 2” cities for their size, these Next Cities™ offer the best of both
worlds: a buffet of great, local amenities in cities where you can still afford a starter home.

Rank City, State
1 Madison, WI
2 Minneapolis, MN
3 Colorado Springs, CO
4 Atlanta, GA
5 St. Paul, MN

[Paulopolis]

The biggest sign of this is how the 3 state region is planing the high speed rail corridor. As of now its only stops in Colorado are in Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo. If it stays this way, and it might not, that will influence growth for a long time to come. Here is one possible scenario I see.

In northern Colorado you have one major stop from the high speed rail in downtown Denver at Union station. That would mean that downtown Denver will continue to be the focal point for the transportation network in northern Colorado and continue to make downtown Denver the economic and financial center making it the largest and most dense part of the state.

In Southern Colorado you will have two stops on the high speed rail, Colorado Springs and Pueblo. The springs will be the focal point for transportation for the Pikes Peak region and will make its downtown more dense however because of Pueblo's location and having a stop at our historic union train depot in downtown that will continue to make downtown Pueblo the focal point for transportation in southern Colorado. In my opinion that will set the stage for Pueblo's downtown to be just as dense as most major cities and make it the states second largest central business district as essentially downtown Pueblo will be the economic and financial center for southern Colorado.

This isn't a done deal. Ft. Collins and/or Cheyenne could get a stop. In fact, I hope that at least Ft. Collins does. It is the largest city in a region (Larimer and Weld counties) of nearly 500,000 people. Alternative forms of transportation are definitely needed there.

I would even venture to guess that smaller towns will get stops too. Castle Rock? Southern Metro Denver? Trinidad? I bet this plan gets tied into all the work being done by Rocky Mountain Commuter Rail.

[Eeyore]

This isn't a done deal. Ft. Collins and/or Cheyenne could get a stop. In fact, I hope that at least Ft. Collins does. It is the largest city in a region (Larimer and Weld counties) of nearly 500,000 people. Alternative forms of transportation are definitely needed there.

I would even venture to guess that smaller towns will get stops too. Castle Rock? Southern Metro Denver? Trinidad? I bet this plan gets tied into all the work being done by Rocky Mountain Commuter Rail.

You could be right but I would hate to see to many stops as it would make the high speed rail more like a slow speed rail.

Personally I would like to see the high speed rail stay how it is proposed with only a few stops in the major cities. I do agree that it could go father north to include Fort Collins and Cheyenne. Then have the front range rail authority build from the main trunk line that would include more areas. For example if Denver does have the only stop in northern Colorado they could build a rail system to the other cities like Fort Collins that would connect to Union station where they could jump on the high speed rail. If Fort Collins gets a stop then make it the hub for mass transit in northern Colorado so people could transfer to the high speed rail. The same in southern Colorado. Colorado Springs could be the hub for the Pikes Peak region then have their mass transit transfer people to the high speed rail and in Pueblo we could be the center for mass transit in southern Colorado so people could transfer in downtown Pueblo to the high speed rail.

[Eeyore]

As a side note tomorrow I am going on a trip sponsored by the Pueblo Board of Water Works to see where Pueblo gets its water. When I come back i will post what I find along with pictures.

This was in the Denver's paper and I find it funny that cities are fighing over water Pueblo does not need anymore. This money will allow us to buy even more water and stay ahead of the curve!

Aurora water plan could leave developer high, dry
Aurora water buy could delay Minturn proposal

The Denver Post



AURORA — The developer of a proposed resort above Minturn will likely have to look elsewhere for water when, as expected, the Aurora City Council tonight approves the purchase of water he was seeking to buy.

Developer Bobby Ginn had entered a contract with the Pueblo water board to purchase 1,337 acre-feet of water from the Columbine Ditch near Leadville.

But Aurora has a right-of-first refusal, and the city is partnering with the Climax molybdenum mine to purchase the water for a total of $30.4 million, said Greg Baker, spokesman for Aurora Water. Climax will pay about a third of that.

One acre-foot is considered enough to support two families of four for a year

"It's mountain water, the best quality of water, which you just don't get to buy," Baker said.

Ginn spokesman Ryan Julison said the company will deal with whatever happens.

"We don't want to speculate on what may or may not happen at the council meeting," he said. We will wait until an official decision is made to discuss it then."

Aurora's purchase seems to be a blow to Ginn, who wants to build a private ski area, golf course and 1,700 luxury homes on the Battle Mountain property overlooking Minturn. The town annexed the property last year with 87 percent of voters supporting the move.

Not securing water could put a damper on what has been an expensive and lengthy process. Ginn bought the property more than four years ago for $32.7 million and has been working with Minturn on a project that would inject much-needed cash into the town.

Gary Suiter, interim town administrator for Minturn, said he is confident that Ginn will find water elsewhere if Aurora buys the Columbine Ditch supply.

"They have been looking elsewhere for water," Suiter said of Ginn and his associates. "If this deal falls through, they will continue to look for water. We're pulling for Ginn, obviously."

Paul Fanning, spokesman for the Pueblo Board of Water Works, said he had not yet heard of Aurora's intentions to purchase the water. He said that when Ginn signed a contract to purchase the water, Aurora had 60 days to match it.

"I know Aurora has been working on it," Fanning said. "But until that happens, we have an accepted approved contract with the Ginn organization

[wong21fr]

Bennet tells 11 News, the cemetery, which would be either in El Paso or Pueblo County, is needed to relieve the pressures at the Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver.


It needs to go in El Paso County. With the military heritage and the population center this makes the most sense.

[Eeyore]

It needs to go in El Paso County. With the military heritage and the population center this makes the most sense.

Everyone forgets that Pueblo county is part of the reason El Paso county became such a big military county as we helped them get Fort Carson and Fort Carson extends into Pueblo county. Not to mention that thousands of military families live in Pueblo, troops drive thru here to get to Pinon canyon and the Pueblo Chemical Depot is still in Pueblo

That being said I think the national cemetery will end up in southern El Paso county near PPIR as that is where Pueblo and Colorado Springs could both support and to be honest there is not much land in northern Pueblo county for a large national cemetery and the land we do have I would rather be used for tech parks and housing developments to increase Pueblo's population. Thus, having the cemetery in southern El Paso county gives us the benefit with out using our land.

[Eeyore]

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/josseppie/downtownpueblo.jpg\

Night view of my favorite highrise!

[Front_Range_Guy]

You managed to catch a lightning bolt? That's pretty cool.

[acw007]

Speaking of lightning bolts I found this awesome photo from the Coloradoan the other day:
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg152/acwilson007/wow5-1.jpg

[wong21fr]

Everyone forgets that Pueblo county is part of the reason El Paso county became such a big military county as we helped them get Fort Carson and Fort Carson extends into Pueblo county. Not to mention that thousands of military families live in Pueblo, troops drive thru here to get to Pinon canyon and the Pueblo Chemical Depot is still in Pueblo

That being said I think the national cemetery will end up in southern El Paso county near PPIR as that is where Pueblo and Colorado Springs could both support and to be honest there is not much land in northern Pueblo county for a large national cemetery and the land we do have I would rather be used for tech parks and housing developments to increase Pueblo's population. Thus, having the cemetery in southern El Paso county gives us the benefit with out using our land.

The Pueblo Chemical Depot is a Superfund site, not a military installation of any kind of significance. As for Pueblo helping to land Fort Carson, Carson still identifies more with Colorado Springs and bases such as Peterson, Cheyenne Mountain, not to mention the Air Force Academy give more weight to the identification of COS as a military town. Personally, I think a national cemetery should be located near the Air Force Academy due to the greater picturesque beauty of the area. You don't stick a national cemetery out in the middle of nowhere just because you don't want to think about it. It should smack everyone in the face and it would be nice if you crested over Monument on I-25 and saw a long field of white headstones. A stark reminder of just what some people understand about sacrifice for one's nation.

[Eeyore]

The Pueblo Chemical Depot is a Superfund site, not a military installation of any kind of significance. As for Pueblo helping to land Fort Carson, Carson still identifies more with Colorado Springs and bases such as Peterson, Cheyenne Mountain, not to mention the Air Force Academy give more weight to the identification of COS as a military town. Personally, I think a national cemetery should be located near the Air Force Academy due to the greater picturesque beauty of the area. You don't stick a national cemetery out in the middle of nowhere just because you don't want to think about it. It should smack everyone in the face and it would be nice if you crested over Monument on I-25 and saw a long field of white headstones. A stark reminder of just what some people understand about sacrifice for one's nation.

You and I have a gentlemans disagrement on this one as I think it should be located in southern El Paso County.

[Eeyore]

Today was my first of a two day trip to find out where Pueblo gets our water. I am in Leadville so tonight I will summarize what I saw on my first day then when I get back I will post pictures of the reservoirs and some great pictures of Leadville and my trip back with my final report that will be more detailed.

My first day was very interesting. We started out at the main treatment plant in Pueblo, named the Whitlock water treatment plant named after a former bored of Pueblo water works director. It is a big facility as it handles over 84 million gallons of water a day. They said that Pueblo has over 550 miles of pipes and 18 water storage tanks.

They gave a brief history on Pueblo's board of water works. Pueblo started its board of water works in 1874 for mainly fire protection. Today, we have water rights that date back to 1861, 1868, 1874 and 1886. That gives Pueblo some of the most senior water rights in the state.

From there we went to the Clear Creak Reservoir. It was built in 1902 and bought by the Pueblo board of water works in 1950 for 2.7 million dollars but worth a lot more then that today. That gives us the water in there and it currently holds 11,500 acer feet but they want to expand it to hold over 30,000 acer feet.

From there we went to Twin Lakes where Pueblo has 23% of the water and Colorado Springs has 52% of the water. This is where Pueblo and Colorado springs get our water form the western slope via a tunnel. Pueblo gets 40% of our water from eastern slope and 60 % from the western slope. We want to make it 50/50 as Pueblo feels that in a drought western slope water is not reliable. To put it in perspective Colorado Springs gets 20% of its water form Eastern slope and 80% from the western slope.

Finally we ended up in Leadville where I am now and had a few drinks at 10,000 feet so I am happy lol. They told us that Aurora will buy our shares in the Columbine ditch for 30 million dollars and that will allow us to buy shares in the Bessemer ditch. Pueblo wants to do that because it will give us more water per share and the Bessemer ditch is Eastern Colorado water so it will get us to the 50/50 split we want.

Tomorrow we have more stops as we head back to Pueblo.

This is just a brief summery on my first day. I will go in more detail on my final report where I will also have pictures!

[Eeyore]

This is my second of a three report series on how Pueblo gets its water. Today I will focus on what I learned on the second day.

Before I get started on what we did I want to talk about two great videos we saw.

The first was on the Fry Pan Arkansas project.

It was named after the two rivers that were affected, the Fry Pan River and the Arkansas river.

In 1958 the south east Colorado water conservancy district formed.

In 1962 the United States Senate authorized the Fry Pan Project

President Kennedy came out to Pueblo to sign the bill in 1962.

This project transfers water from the western slope to south east Colorado and also helps out with flood control. Aurora has became a major player as well although technically they are not part of the project. That just means they have to pay more for the water since they don't get taxed like cities who are in the project.

The second film showed President Kennedy's visit to Pueblo and his speech at district 60 stadium, now known as Dutch Clark Stadium.

It was amazing seeing a old film from 1962 and how President Kennedy thought the Fry Pan project would help the region in the future. He even said he hopes people from the 1980's and the end of the century look back on what we are doing in 1962 with admiration the same way we look back on people who came before us as its our job to make life better for the next generation. It was kind of a surreal moment for me as I am the "next" generation and seeing what he said on film and studying it like I am makes me think how forward thinking they were and in deed life is better in Pueblo today because of the Fry Pan Ark project. Also, with how today we are working on projects that will hopefully make life better in Pueblo for the next generation.

On the second day we started by looking at Turquoise reservoir. This was built by the former CF&I and was called Sugar Loaf Reservoir. When it was first build it held 50,000 acer feet of water. Then the Ark-Fry pan bought it and increased in capacity and it now holds 131,000 acer feet of water.

Next we went to the Curtlon Tunnel, it brings water from the western slop to the front range. It was built as a railroad and water tunnel but now is only used as a water tunnel. There has been a small collapse but it remains viable to transport water.

Then we looked at the Blue Sted Tunnel is 5 miles long built from 1964 to 1982 and is still in use today. Then we looked at the Busk Ivanhoe System which is located 12 miles west of Leadville over Hagerman Pass. The Pueblo Board of Water Works bought 50% of it in 1971 and in 1988 the city of Aurora bought 95% of the remaining shares. Today the Pueblo Board of Water Works and Aurora share the system.

Then they talked about Rude Eye Reservoir. It was built on the western slope as a way to compensate for the front range taking some water. In fact it had to be done before any of the fry ark pan projects began.

Then we looked at the Wurtz ditch. It is located on the continental divide 15 miles north west of Leadville by Ski Cooper and is 6 miles long. It was built in 1929 and the Pueblo Board of Water works bought in 1938. In order to buy it a bond issue had to be voted on by the citizens of Pueblo for the price of 50,000 dollars and it passed. As he was talking about it I thought about my grandfathers generation going over all the details and voting for it as they thought it would be good for future generations. A extension of 6 1/2 miles was built in 1953 to give more water to Pueblo.

Then we looked at the Ewing Ditch that was built in 1880 and is one of the oldest diversions of western water to the eastern slope of Colorado. In 1955 the Pueblo Board of Water works bought the ditch along with Clear Creak reservoir in 1955 for 2.7 million dollars and has become a important part of Pueblo source for water.

Finally we looked at the Columbine ditch which was constructed in 1931 for irrigation purposes. It was purchased by the Pueblo Board of Water Works in 1953 for $15,000. This is the ditch that Pueblo is in the process of selling to Aurora so we can buy shares in the Bessemer ditch. Their hope is that the Pueblo Board of Water Works become the "buyer of choice" for people who want to sale their shares of the Bessemer ditch in the future.

Tomorrow I will post the pictures I took of the reservoirs and ditches as well as my final thoughts on what I learned the past two days.