Time to Clean Up!

It's Spring Cleaning Time! The Annual Community Clean-Up will commence on Saturday, April 30th at 9am at the IOOF Park in downtown Gunnison. Participants can choose which area of the City they would like to clean - with more than 70 routes available. The Community Clean-up is co-hosted by the City and Western State College. There will be free hot coffee and other beverages available at registration, and baked goods will be available for sale. There will also be a raffle, in which five lucky participants will win $40 in Gunnison Greenbacks. The Clean-up will take place rain, snow or shine.

On Sunday, the clean-up activities will focus at Hartman Rocks. The Hartman Rocks User Group, in conjunction with the City, County and the local BLM office, will hold their annual work day. Volunteers are encouraged to show up at 9am at the base area. Bring water, work gloves, and wear sturdy shoes and suncreen. Lunch will be provided to all participants and there will also be a prize giveaway.

Get out and clean-up this weekend. It is great exercise and will benefit the environment and our community.

Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet!

In 2009, twice as many people in Colorado died from perscription drug abuse than from drunk driving-related crashes. Help prevent illegal abuse of prescription drugs and dispose of your old/unused medications in an environmentally safe way.

There will be two safe drop-off locations to properly dispose of these old prescription drugs. On Saturday, April 30th, from 10am to 2pm, you can drop them off at City Market, 880 N. Main Street in Gunnison. On Monday, May 2nd, you can drop them off from 10am to 2pm at the City of Gunnison Police Department, located in City Hall, 201 W. Virginia Avenue.

This program is sponsored by the City of Gunnison, Gunnison County, Colorado State Patrol, and the Gunnison County Substance Abuse Prevention Project (GCSAPP). For more information call 970.642.7396.

New Recreation Fees

For everyone's convenience , the City has added more Community/Aquatics Center Membership options. There are new 3 month and 6 month membership options. As always, these price include unlimited use of the Community/Aquatics Center for the duration of the membership. Of course, the 20 punch card and daily drop-in options are still available.

Call 970.641/8060 or email rec@cityofgunnison-co.gov for more information. YOu can also go to http://www.gunnisonrec.com/ for details.

A Fun Time Was Had By All

It was a rainy but fun weekend in Gunnison! The Easter Bunny was in attendance at the 2nd Annaul Underwater Easter Egg Hunt at the Community Pool on Saturday. 275 participants had a great time hunting for 2200 cement filled eggs, 4 golden eggs and 1 "Monster Egg". It weighed 10 pounds! 20 pounds of candy was given out. The kids enjoyed a "bouncy castle" and fun games like guessing the total number of jelly beans and "Bunny Bingo". Thanks to the Community Center personnel for all of their work in hosting this fun event.

A successful bike auction was held at the Public Works Shops at noon on Saturday. "Found" bikes, not claimed by their previous owners, were auctioned off to the public and great bargains were found - despite the rain.

With all of the rain this weekend - you can almost hear the grass growing and turning green! Welome spring!

City Council at Work

The City Council will hold their Regular Session meeting tomorrow night - Tuesday, April 26th, starting at 7pm, in the City Council Chambers of City Hall, 201 W. Virginia Avenue in Gunnison.

They will be discussing and taking action on the following topics:
The Farmer's Market Multi-Day Special Events Permit;
Danial Gray will speak with Council concerning the City Noise Ordinance;
The Gunnison Glory Climbing Event Applicaiton for a Challenge Grant in the Amount of $1000;
A request from the Gunnison WhiteWater Park managers for a Contract for Service to purchase webcams for the Whitewater Park;
An Easement on the Wilson Property at the east edge of Gunnison;
2nd Reading of an Additional Appropriations to the 2011 Budget Ordinance;
1st Reading on the Youth Tobacco Ordinance;
1st Reading on the Lease Purchase of a Used 2009 Sterling Tandem Dump Truck;
The Parks & Recreation Department Semi-Annual Report on their activities; and
a variety of Staff and City Councilor reports.
To view the packet information go to: http://www.cityofgunnison-co.gov/council/epackets/Default.htm or contact the City Clerks Office at gail@cityofgunnison-co.gov

As Always - the public is always welcome and encouraged to attend City Council meetings!

This Weekend in Gunnison

While the weather has been an iffy combination of winter and spring, there is still a lot to do this weekend in Gunnison. The City of Gunnison Parks & Recreation 2nd Annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt will be held on Saturday at the Gunnison Community/Aquatics Center. Find more information on this event in the blog post below this one.

Also on Saturday is the City Bike Auction. The auction is conducted as a silent auction with written bidding beginning at 12 Noon and ending at 1pm. There will be bikes and other miscellaneous items to bid on. The auction will be at the Gunnison City Shops, 1100 W. Virginia Avenue in Gunnison (at the west dead end of Virginia Avenue). Come out and find some great bargins!

Saturday at 9am - head on down to the Fred Field Western Heritage Center (at the County Rodeo Grounds) for the 1st Annual Gunnison Valley Gardening Festival. The event will include 30 exhibitors with informational diplays and demonstrations, food vendors and cooking lessons, live music and kids activities. The Festival is free to attend and is hosted by the Gunnison Valley Farmers' Market. For more information email your questions to gardenfestival20112sonic.net.

Tonight, enjoy dinner in one of Gunnison's great restaurants and then bike or walk (It's Earth Day today!!) to the Gunnison Arts Center at 102 S. Main Street to hear the Canadian-based acoustic ensemble "The Duhk's" in concert. They were nominated for a Grammy Award for their song "Heaven's My Home. The doors open at 7pm and for more information or to purchase tickets go to www.gunnisontimes.com After the show, enjoy a locally brewed beer or a mellow glass of wine at one of Gunnison's brew pubs, taverns or wine bars.

On Sunday, April 24th at 1pm, the American Legion will hold their annual Easter Egg Hunt for the kids at Legion Park. The 0-3 year olds will hunt for eggs on the WSC field just east of Legion Park, the 4-6 year olds will hunt at the Legion Park Playground and the 7 to 9 year olds will hunt for their eggs on the park lawn west of the playground. Also, at 11:30am - the "Get Your Goat 4-H Club" will have a petting zoo in the park prior to the egg hunt. Happy Easter to everyone!

Underwater Easter Egg Hunt

The 2nd Annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt will be held at the Gunnison Community/Aquatics Center on Saturday, April 23rd starting at 11:30am. All kids ages 0-12 are invited to attend the egg hunt, bouncy house and Easter games. All of the underwater egg hunting will take place in the leisure pool at the aquatics center. Participants will be arranged according to ages for egg hunting. The groups are: 4 and Under - 11:45am at the zero-entry pool area 5 - 6 year olds - 12:30pm at the zero-entry and stairs area 7 - 9 year olds - 11:45am in the 3-5 ft. deep pool area 10-12 year olds - 12:30pm in the 3-5 ft. deep pool area This Easter Event is FREE with a facility daily drop-in fee, annual membership or punch card. After the event stay and play/swim in the pool! For more information please contact Parks & Recreation at 970-641-8060.

City Election Update

The Regular Municipal Election will take place on May 10, 2011 (second Tuesday in May). This date is set forth by the City Home Rule Charter. Council Candidate petitions have been sent out, received back and verified/certified for 6 candidates. There are three Council terms availbale this year. The six Council Candidates for this year's election are (in alphabetic order): Robert E. Drexel; Scott Frazier; Jim Gelwicks; Jonathan D. Houck; Greg Larson; and Ed Seymour. Also on this year's ballot are two ballot questions. Ballot Question No. 1 is for voter's to decide whether to allow Medical Marijuana Centers (also known as medical marijuana dispensaries), Optional Premises Cultivation Operations (medicial marijuana grow centers), and medical marijuana-infused products manufactureres within the City limits of Gunnison. Ballot Question No. 2 asks the voters, if medicial marijuana centers and the associated operations are allowed within the City, should an additional 5% sales tax be imposed on the purchase price paid for medical marijuana and medical marijuana-infused products. The Election is being conducted as a mail ballot election and ballots should be mailed to voters on Wednesday, April 20th.

This Cool Spring Weekend

Even though the ice rinks and ski area are closed - there is still a lot to do in Gunnison. There's fishing in the river that is now clear of ice, hiking and biking, swimming, climbing and games at the Gunnison Community Center, strolling, shopping and dining in Gunnison's great stores and restaurants. The Gunnison Sage Grouse Festival takes place this Saturday, starting at 9:30am, at the Fred Field Western Heritage Center, 275 S. Spruce Street in Gunnison. The Festival includes family & kids-friendly events including: complimentary lunch; face painting, crafts and games; handouts on nature and wildlife; live music; door prizes; art work; and the latest information on the Gunnison Sage-Grouse. A 5k/10k Walk/Run, sponsored by Gunnison Trails, will take place starting with registration at 9:30am. The walk/run starts at 11am with the 5k route going from the Fred Field Center west to the Gunnison Whitewater Park and returning; and the 10k Run Race route circles the perimeter of the City of Gunnison with the finish line at the Fred Field Center. Entry fee for the walk/run is $25 and includes a t-shirt. Put away your snow and ski boots, get out those running shoes and head out to the Sage Grouse Fesitval.

Tennis Anyone?

Registration is now open for Spring Tennis Lessons. The lessons, conducted at the Char-Mar Park Tennis Courts, will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, May 10th, 12th, 17th, 19th and 24th. 5 to 9 year olds will meet from 4:00-5:00pm; and 10 to 14 tear olds will meet from 5:00 - 6:00pm. The instructor is Jaylen Mussleman. Lesson fees are $29 for Community Center Members and $31 for Non-Members. Register at the Gunnison Community Center, 200 E. Spencer Avenue in Gunnison, call 641-8060, or go on-line at www.gunnisonrec.com

Doh-See-Doh!

There will be a free square dance TONIGHT - April 1st at 6:45pm at the Gunnison Community Center, 200 East Spencer Avenue in Gunnison. Callers from the Montrose Square Dancing Club will be coming up for the event and would like to put on the class every Friday night. It's fun and great exercise. We hope to see you there!