Slow down city council, the confluence area is not going anywhere. Why are you spending so much effort and time on developing the confluence area when your time is needed to address the streets, broadband and utilities? The costs keep going up the longer you put off these issues. There is only so much money in the pot.
I have attended meetings which, by all indications, you are ready to move forward in hiring consultants and a developer that will start approving how the confluence will be used and designed. I keep hearing how the stakeholders are being asked for their input in these meetings. The largest stakeholder in this process is the citizens of Glenwood Springs. As far as the citizen input goes, very few actually participate in these discussions.
Before spending any more of the taxpayers’ money, a survey should be taken from the citizens. Do you want the confluence developed with a private developer partnership or do you want it left predominately as recreational use?
The difference in the cost to the city is in the millions if it is left as recreational rather than commercial. This is the city’s other entrance to this town. Do we want a congested area full of housing, businesses and parking lots, or do we want open space for families to enjoy for generations to come?
I heard one argument about the need for more eating establishments because someone had a long wait for seating. Yes, three months out of the year there is a long wait. So what? How about the other nine months when the businesses are crying for more business. The downtown doesn’t need more competition from businesses along the river. The city needs to attract higher paying jobs rather than more service type employment. The broadband will provide that foundation for the higher paying jobs.
Remember, the river is already a tourist attraction for fishing, rafting and just the experience of enjoying a walk or bike ride. Plus don’t forget there are people living along the river across from this proposed development. What’s next? The property west of the high school?
Don “Hooner” Gillespie,
Glenwood Springs