Last Saturday a happy crowd filled Sixth Street from the roundabout to the North Landing of the pedestrian bridge. A joyful fall day of celebration on what used to be four lanes of Highway 82 truck and vehicle traffic. It is a great beginning and only a matter of time until the Downtown Development Authority appreciates the potential for Sixth Street to become a street with thriving shops, restaurants and businesses on both sides. A downtown neighborhood with apartments over a vibrant village street is possible only if we can embrace a shared vision.
This special event sponsored by the City and the Glenwood Springs Brew Garden brought awareness to Sixth Street’s bright future. The lack of shared parking is the biggest problem requiring serious collaboration by the City, with businesses, the existing residential neighborhood and commercial property owners.
North Glenwood’s herd of buffaloes have migrated eastward toward the Vapor Caves. I am hoping that the buffaloes might wander west to the green pasture of the north landing. It would be great to see the buffalo grazing there with children and families to enjoy them. Our buffalo are symbolic of respect, survival, spirituality and cultural expression.
The event last weekend on Sixth Street caused little disruption to traffic circulation because the curved bridge serves as a bypass. It is the perfect festival street and provided an eye-opening recognition to all who have not thought of the possibilities for this part of downtown. It also highlighted the obvious need for parks and a public/private parking facility in North Glenwood Springs.
David Hauter,
Glenwood Springs
