Week of June 28th

We just finished up a very busy weekend. Friday evening there was a well-attended music concert by the WSC Brass Band at the WSC Quigley Bandshell. Approximately 1200 weary but grinning bicyclists crossed the Bicycle Tour of Colorado finish line at the Gunnison Community School on Saturday. (picture at left) They started in Gunnison on Sunday, June 20th and finished in Gunnison after touring southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. Congratulations to City Manager Ken Coleman for completing the entire tour! This past weekend also saw the very successful Public Services Expo at Jorgensen Park on Saturday. Hundreds of children and adults toured the emergency services vehicles and equipment and learned about what the highly skilled and trained emergency services workers do to help our community. City Fire Marshal Dennis Spritzer (pictured at right) educated the kids about fire safety at the Kiwanis-sponsored Junglemobile. If you missed it, put it on your calendars for next June. It is a worthwhile event - and it is free! The Gunnison River Festival was held on Saturday and Sunday. Events started on Saturday with a river parade starting at the north bridge by Garlic Mike's and floating downriver to the Gunnison Whitewater Park west of town by the twin bridges. 400 to 500 folks attended Saturday's festivities at the Whitewater Park and participated in kids activities and enjoyed watching the thrilling river rafters and kayakers. The River Fest wrapped up Sunday with the Upper Taylor River Kayak Run and the Lower Taylor River Poker Run. A great time was had by all participants. Local Kayaker Kit Davidson (pictured left) placed second in the Upper Taylor River Run. It was a great summer evening on Sunday to round out the weekend of Gunnison activities at Legion Park. The Gunnison Arts Center's Sundays at 7 saw the inagural of the GOCO-grant funded Legion Park Pavilion. The Gunnison Bluegrass Connection concert was well attended by locals and visitors alike.

City staff and crews are busy this week. Preparations are being made for next weekend's 4th of July activities. Not only does the City contribute almost $6,000 in City grant funds to the annual Rotary Fireworks program, but also a great deal of in-kind service hours are spent by the Parks and Recreation, Events, Police and Neighborhood Services, Fire Marshal, Public Works and Refuse employees to make this annual event a continuing and safe success. Approximately 200 City employee hours and $3,500 in employee costs help bring this event to the community. The Parks crew is working diligently to complete the new playground structure at Legion Park. The two slides still need some work. On Friday, July 2nd at 5:30pm there will be a grand opening and ribbon cutting of the GOCO-funded equipment. Many community organizations and businesses donated time and money to help make all of the new Legion Park amenities a reality! Thanks to everyone who participated. The climbing boulder has been a great success with the kids and adults alike. The Parks crew is also working on additional features such as railings and lighting for the new Legion Park pavilion. The Recreation Department is working on the solar panels control monitors at the community pool. The pool is seeing a lot of summer use for swimming lessons and recreational swimming. The PD is working on planning for the 4th of July activities and the Hells Angels visit the end of July. Community Development is working with the Catholic Church on a variance application for the Parish Hall, presenting the VanTuyl Ranch Management Plan to City Council and the Planning Commission for their input and working with the Gunnison Hospital on their proposed expansion. The Public Works crews are going to be asphalt patching street cuts and potholes this week. They are also working on completing the bus shelter on North 11th Street and assisitng with the 4th of July events preparations. The Clerks Department is busy with several special events liquor permit applications for upcoming events and working on the application from Wal-Mart for them to sell 3.2% Beer at their store in Gunnison. We are also keeping you all updated through the City website and this blog. We hope you find this information useful. Have a great and safe week.

Another Great Weekend

It's another fun-filled weekend coming up in Gunnison! Start out Friday evening with the Gunnison Arts Center's Friday at Five with free live music on the patio. The Center is located at the SE corner of Tomichi and Main Street. Follow this with dinner at one of the great Gunnison restaurants and then head out to the Western State College Quigley Band Shell. Bring your lawn chairs or a blanket and settle on the grass for the WSC-Colorado Brass Band Concert, directed by Steve Asheim. The free concert starts at 7:30pm and marks the 36th year of the concert! Come hear great tradional brass band music. It'll make you want to get up and march.

Saturday will be a full day of activities in Gunnison. The Gunnison River Festival starts at 9am with the Gunnison River Parade. Rafts and boats will start at the Gunnison River northbridge (by Garlic Mike's) and will parade downriver to the Whitewater Park at the east edge of Gunnison by the twin highway bridges. During the day there are activies for the kids, a competitive raft race, kayak freestyle rodeo, food vendors, a raft rodeo, exhibitions, and the popular Hooligan Race from 3:30 to 4:30pm. The Festival concludes on Sunday after the Upper and Lower Taylor Canyon races and river run. For more information on the festival activities go to http://www.gunnisonriverfestival.com/

Saturday morning sees the commencement of this summer's Gunnison Farmers' Market. This is held next to the IOOF Park on the 100 Block of East Virginia Avenue. There will be a tempting selection of fruits, vegetables, baked goods and crafts.

After stocking up at the Farmers Market, head over to Jorgensen Park on East Tomichi Avenue (Highway 50) at 10am for the Public Safety Expo. There will be a wide variety of activities and displays. Some of the public safety services displays include: Gunnison Police Department equipment, the Forest Service and BLM, Gunnison and Colorado State Patrol HazMat, Gunnison Ambulance, Gunnison Fire Department, Airport Fire and Rescue, City Electric and REA, Gunnison Hospital, Public Health, Gunnison Sheriff, WSC Mountain Rescue Team, the National Guard, Park Service, Colorado State Parks, the Childrens' Hospital Junglemobile Safety Van and many, many more displays. Bring the kids out for hands-on, interactive safety instruction. The 4-H kids will be hosting a fundraising lunch.

On Sunday, after breakfast at one of the great Gunnison eateries and watching the final events of the Gunnison River Festival, head to the outdoors and enjoy fishing, climbing, biking, rafting, hiking, or just enjoy the cool summer high mountain air. Finish out the weekend with the Arts Center's Sundays at Seven free music concert at Legion Park. This will be the first time the new Legion Park Covered Pavilion will be used by the performers. This week the concert will feature the "Gunnison Bluegrass Collective". Bring a picnic supper and enjoy the bluegrass musicians. If you can't find something to do in Gunnison this weekend - you're not really trying!

Have a fun and safe weekend.

Broncos Country Caravan Is Coming

The Community is invited to the Broncos Country Caravan City Celebration on Thursday, June 24th at Jorgensen Park. The event will be held from 5 to 7pm. Come meet Bronocos Cheerleaders and Broncos Alumni. Meet "Miles" the mustang mascot. See the Super Bowl trophies! There will be activities for the kids and prizes. It's Free and Open to the Public! Bronocos merchandise will be available for sale.

In addition to the free event at Jorgensen Park, there will be a Denver Broncos and Gatorade Junior Training Football Camp. This will be held on Thursday morning, June 24th from 10am to 11:30am at Meadows Park (by the Community Center). The camp is open to girls and boys ages 6 to 12 years old. The training camp is FREE but pre-registration is required for the training camp. Stop by the Community Center at 200 E. Spencer Avenue or call 641-8060 to get signed up. A signed waiver is needed for each child wanting to participate. GO BRONCOS!

Week of June 14th

Flag Day, Monday June 14th, was a patriotic day in Gunnison. The City welcomed the bicyclists participating in the Sea to Shining Sea Bike Ride. Most of the riders are military veterans, many wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan. They are a tribute to courage and determination. The City hosted a barbeque at Legion Park and this was followed by a Flag Day Ceremony attended by soldiers from Ft. Carson, including their band members who will be deploying to Iraq in the coming months, the heroic bicyclists, local dignitaries including Mayor Stu Ferguson who presented a proclamation,Gunnison's own "Mrs. Colorado", members of the local American Legion, Elks and VFW organizations, and many, many local citizens who showed their support not only for the visiting athletes but for the flag of our nation.

On Tuesday evening, City Council received a presentation from Colorado Divison of Wildlife Representatives, Tom Speeze, Tony Gurzick and J Wenum, on the proposed CDOW Discovery Center. This hands-on Outdoor Learning Center would be a tremendous asset to the community. The regional representatives will be making a formal presentation at the State Wildlife Commission meeting that will take place on July 8th in Gunnison. In other City news, the roof is on the new covered picnic shelter at Legion Park, the climbing boulder is complete and work is progressing on the new playground structures. A grand opening will take place in July. The Final Draft of the Van Tuyl Master Plan is available on the City website at www.cityofgunnison-co.gov/community_development_planning/ A presentation of the plan will be made to City Council and the Planning Commission on June 29th at 7pm.

This weekend will be a busy one in Gunnison. Over 1,000 bicyclists will arrive in Gunnison on Saturday for the start of the Bike Tour of Colorado. There will be festivities including a beer garden and wine tasting at Jorgensen Park on Saturday evening. The tour leaves Gunnison on Sunday morning and returns the following Saturday. Gunsmoke-in-Gunnison takes place Saturday and Sunday at the Rodeo Grounds. Mounted riders will shoot from horseback. Go out and see this Old West event. There will be public viewing at the Gunnison Valley Observatory on Friday evening starting at 8pm and then the weekend wraps up with music at the Gunnison Arts Center Sundays at 7 at Legion Park. Have a great weekend!

WINDY WEEKEND

The City Public Works and Electric Crews are busy cleaning up from this past weekend's blustery weather. City crews have blocked off part of the 100 Block of West Denver Avenue in order to cut down some old rotten cottonwood trees that were blown into the City's electric lines. This takes skilled, patient work from the line crew in order not to further damage the utility lines or endanger their lives from the high voltage wires. The street will be closed for several hours while the crews remove the problem trees. Thanks for your patience during the street closure.

Harvey Harriman Memorial

A memorial concert honoring former City Councilor Harvey Harriman will be held Saturday, June 12th at 2pm in WSC's Quigley Concert Hall. Harvey passed away at his home in Gunnison on March 22, 2010. Harvey was a well-respected music professor at WSC for 39 years before retiring as a Professor Emeritus in 2008. He was elected to City Council in 1998 and served through 2002. Following his tenure on Council, Harvey served on the City Planning and Zoning Commission until his passing. City Manager Ken Coleman stated that Harvey's "thoughful handprint" can be found on many City policies developed during his tenure with the City. He will be greatly missed by City Council, Planning and Zoning Commissioners, Staff and employees.

Happenings in the Week of June 7th

At Tuesday night's City Council meeting, the Council approved, by a 3-2 vote, to expend $7,850 from the Communication Fund Reserves, for the design phase of the Dispatch/Communications Center inclusion in the new County Detention Facility. The total up-front cost will be approximately $60,000 for the Communications Center portion of the new building. The advisory Communications Board unanimously support the move from their exising site in the basement of the County Courthouse to the new facility. Council then had consensus to postpone re-work of the ditch infrastructure in downtown Gunnison to allow the City to apply for State DOLA Grant funds to assist with the project. If received, the grant funds would greatly help with maintaining a fund balance in the City Ditch Fund. The Grant cycle and possible award would be this fall. Council approved the multi-day Special Events Permit for the Gunnison Arts Center's "Sundays at 7" that is held throughout the summer in Legion Park. And lastly, Council adopted the "Social Hosting" Ordinance on second and final reading. The Ordinance prohibits knowingly allowing underage possession or conumption of alcohol on private property under a person's control. Next week, on June 15th, Council will hear a presentation on the proposed Colorado Division of Wildlife Discovery Center project to be located at the east edge of the City in the newly annexed Gunnison Rising property.

This week, City Staff and employees are preparing for the annual Diamonds in the Rockies Softball Tournament to be held this coming weekend. 24 teams will be participating. The roof is going up on the new picnic shelter in Legion Park. It should be ready for use in a couple of weeks. The Finance Department continues to work with many folks on utility read-ins and read-outs as they move to new residences. Work also continues on finalizing the annual City audit. At Dispatch, the Center is once again fully staffed and three dispatchers are involved in detailed training to ensure the safety our our Valley's citizens. The recent high river run-off continues to play havoc with the water in the City ditches. The crews are constantly monitoring the situation to prevent flooding. Topsoil screening continues at the old City landfill, the long-line striping on the City streets is almost complete (and looks great!) and the contract divers are done with their maintenance/inspection work inside the City water tanks. The Clerks Department team is working on a number of special event liquor permit applications for upcoming summer non-profit fundraising events and is working on updating the City website. All of City Staff continues to very closely monitor the City budget - revenues and expenditures - to continue to provide services to the citizens within the funds available. Remember - SHOP LOCAL to help your friends and neighbor's businesses and to maintain City services for all of our citizens and visitors.

Glorious Weekend

It was another glorious weekend in Gunnison. People planted their gardens, took their boat out on the lake, trained on their bike for the upcoming Ride the Rockies or the Bike Tour of Colorado rides, or just enjoyed the beautiful weather. The weekend started off with music on the Arts Center patio followed by the monthly Gunnison Gallery Crawl. Lots of folks were out strolling, socializing and viewing the artwork in various locations downtown. Friday evening was the American Cancer Society Relay for Life Event at Jorgensen Park. Participants walked all night and raised money to honor those who have passed or are currently fighting cancer. Saturday morning saw over 130 kids at Jorgensen Park participating in the annual Fishing and Outdoor Sports Derby. There were booths and displays with archery, lazer shooting, casting, boat safety, and elk, duck and turkey calling, hosted by the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Ducks Unlimited, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Trout Unlimited, Wild Turkey Foundation, National Park Service, Gunnison Kiwanis, Forest Service - including a surprise visit by Smokey Bear! - and the Bureau of Land Management. Gunnison Parks and Recreation provided a hotdog lunch for everyone and the fishing in PacMan Pond was great. GOCO funds purchased fishing poles that were dispensed by the DOW free to all of the kids. Many young anglers caught their first "big ones" at the event. If you didn't make it this year, put it on your calendar for next June. Saturday night was clear and starry at the Gunnison Valley Observatory. Members of the Observatory had an opportunity to view many celestial objects under that beautiful dark sky. Observatory members have monthly members-only viewing and socializing events. Go to the GVO website at http://www.gunnisonobservatory.org/ to get more information on becoming a member. The next public viewing is this Friday, June 11th. The gates open at 8:00pm and the cost is a $3.00 per person donation to the all-volunteer operated Observatory.

Remember back to those elementary gym classes and how much fun you had playing kickball. Well - the Gunnison Recreation Department would like to start a co-ed Kickball League. It would take place on Wednesday evenings. If you are interested, please call Dan at 641-8422. Have a great week.

Summer Recreation Programs

Hello from the City Recreation Folks! Just a reminder there is a lot to do in Gunnison in this summer. You can choose from Rock Climbing Programs, Iyengar Yoga, Beginning and Intermediate Yoga, Gardening Day Camps, Kickball, Tae Kwon Do, BMX Racing, Volleyball, Basketball, Gymnastics, Water Fun Day, Whitewater Rafting, Learn to Fly Fish, and many, many more programs that will be starting this week or early next week. Don't miss out - get signed up! You can do this at the Community Center at 200 E. Spencer Avenue in Gunnison. Call 641-8060 for more information.

Swim lessons start Monday, June 7th. That's next Monday! If you haven't registered yet, now is the time. there are a variety of swim classes for all levels, offered mornings and evenings. Call 641-8426 for information on class levels and how to register for swim classes.

Week of May 31st

The trees all over town are in fragrant bloom and it was a great weekend in Gunnison. It started off Friday at 5pm with lively music on the Arts Center patio. There'll be music on the patio every Friday evening throughout the summer. Saturday events included the 24 hrs. (whew!) of Glory Climbing event at Hartman Rocks, the Sage Burner 50K and 25K running races at Hartman Rocks and at 7am on Sunday, 300 mountain bikers started with the sound of a shotgun blast and a police escort from IOOF Park to Hartman Rocks for a 64 mile or 32 mile mountain bike race. (the picture above is the race start) The weather cooperated for all events and great comments about the events and Gunnison were heard from many of the participants. KUDOS go out to the event organizers, participants, visitors, citizens, and City crews for all of their assistance in making these memorable events. The downtown stores saw brisk business at their annual Memorial Day sidewalk sales over the weekend with the help of all our event visitors. Sunday evening heralded the commencement of the Gunnison Arts Center music series - Sundays at 7. This event will take place throughout the summer at Legion Park.

This week, the City Water crew and contractors are inspecting the City water tanks located high on the hill above WSC. Grinding of the waste asphalt and concrete at the old City landfill is taking place for the next 2 weeks. Instead of being wasted - the City uses the ground material as roadbase and surfacing material on dirt roads. This saves the taxpayers money in the long run and keeps useable materials out of the landfills. The Parks and Recreation Crews are busy preparing for the American Cancer Society "Relay for Life" that will take place at Jorgensen Park on Friday night. Come out and honor those who are fighting or we have lost to this dreaded disease. The Kids Fishing and Sports Derby will take place this Saturday, June 5th, from 10am to 2pm, at Jorgensen Park. All activities are free for the kids. Bring the kids out to the park for lunch and a fun day of learning about our surrounding natural lands and outdoor recreation. Happy June!