South Canon City Center Canon City s Golden Triangle Thank you, Mr. Mayor, City Council and City Administration, for the opportunity to address you. I have a vision to share with you, regarding the recovery from the Royal Gorge fire and the future of Canon City, Fremont County. My name is Al Ballard, my wife Linda and I relocated to Canon City twelve years ago. We elected Canon City as we felt it had the size, elements and benefits of location, weather, to complete our personal vision in creating a fine dining restaurant. We have every asset of our lives invested in this community. We believe the decisions made during the next few months are pivotal to all of us, the City and County. We feel blessed to live in a part of the state that offers so many God given natural options in beauty and potential activities. We love being a part of Canon City, Fremont County and we know how important it is for the area to re-develop in concert with the bridge rebuilding. We are in favor of the bridge area and city owned land at the bridge location being developed, however, we believe it is just one element in the potentials for our future. To that end we bring you a vision of a Canon City s hidden asset, the Golden Triangle. It is a location within the city that brings a majority of the assets of the area into one area, which can be a future development opportunity of historic downtown Canon City. Golden Triangles have been important in the re-development of historic downtown Denver, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/golden_triangle,_denver; the Pueblo River Walk, http://puebloriverwalk.org; even our neighbors to the south, the city of Alamosa, http://www.alamosaaura.org. They are critical components in others seeing a location that heads up the development of a city. Canon City s Golden Triangle is bordered to the north by Highway 50; to the east by 4 th Street and includes the city owned property known as Duck Park, on the south. The triangle point leads to the Royal Gorge, it is an area that is ripe for a historic downtown resort, services along the river, a community/information center and future access to historic downtown Canon City, for visitors. Within this area is Veteran s Park, the Royal Gorge Train, the Arkansas River and the River walk going east and west, along with entrances off Highway 50. There is no other area within Canon City proper that combines all of these elements in one, easily accessed area. There is no other area within Canon City that has the potential to be a catalyst for development that can tie the bridge to the city, allowing residents and those visiting to come to the city, visit the bridge and return to the city; or go to the bridge and then visit the city via the Royal Gorge Train, returning to the bridge. The Golden Triangle brings to life many new opportunities for the Royal Gorge to come alive with many new attractions and services. The Golden Triangle offers a city owned property for development into a mini resort location, city center, focusing locals and visitors to a new location where the history of the area can be told, events, opportunities can be shared and where many activities can be enjoyed. We know the potential for others to fear the loss of a city park, however, the park can be re-located and there is no other single area that provides as many development potentials as the Golden Triangle. 1
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Vision Topics - South Canon City Center/Mini Resort at Canon City s Golden Triangle - Resort to Historic downtown Chair Lift and Walk Way - Expansion of Train Opportunities in Royal Gorge - Arkansas River, River Walk, Business Expansion - Creation of Arkansas River Extreme Sports, Annual Events - Corrections Hall of Fame, Museum, Crime Prevention Center Example: Downtown Savannah Hotel, Savannah, GA Rationale for a South Canon City Center/Mini Resort at Canon City s Golden Triangle Historically Canon City was known as North and South Canon City, the opportunity to develop a NEW South City Center brings attention to the one area that offers land that could be developed; expansion of the existing Royal Gorge Train, the Arkansas River and River Walk, allowing current residents, future visitors to see a creative development and a central location to begin their time in Canon City or the Bridge. The vision in creating an appropriately sized, historically themed, mini-resort with star rated lodging, dining, brings destination visitors and provides local residents with a location to bring family, friends. This resort will bring visitors to an area where they can visit historic downtown within walking distance, enjoy the Arkansas River Walk; ride the train to visit the bridge, rafting, zip lines, nature trails, fishing, all being accomplished from one central location. The Canon City Center should have multi-level parking for historic downtown visitors, resort guests, allowing them to be exposed to multiple activities from one location, as well as visit historic downtown. The Canon City Center needs to have a dedicated area to accurately tell the history of the city, area, as well as an area that educates visitors in the attractions available to them. It can house concierge services that support all city and county businesses, as well as sell tickets for multiple attractions. It is an excellent location for businesses and industries to be represented, allowing visitors to see Canon City/Fremont County as a Great Place to Live, Do Business, Retire or Have a Second Residence. 3
South Canon City Center Resort to Historic downtown chair lift and Walk Way One of the largest assets of the City is the continual traffic on Highway 50. One of the deficiencies in historic downtown is the lack of parking. The creation of a chair lift and pedestrian walkway, from free parking at the resort to historic downtown creates a visual attraction for highway traffic and a means to attract visitors to historic downtown. A potential route would be north from the resort utilizing 2 nd Street as a route, ending at the east side of the current city hall, where a map of historic downtown attractions and businesses could be used. This elevated attraction, people moving device and walkway would give perspectives of the resort, train, river, river walk and historic downtown. The attraction will need to be engineer to allow the chair lift to operate above the walkway and provide safety in case of an accident. Expansion of Train Opportunities in Royal Gorge Without a doubt one of the most important expansions for the city and a resort is the opportunity for the existing train to increase opportunities to transporting residents, visitors to the bridge, river rafting, zip lines, hiking trails, atv rentals, fishing locations west of the bridge. The train has the potential to be the major transportation to the bridge and from the bridge to the city. It can be the one stop hub for resort visitors to accomplish many activities, while leaving their vehicle in the parking area. To accomplish this vision and multi opportunity for the train, all gorge related businesses, the city and bridge company need to see the river location, below the bridge, as a development opportunity for a vertical elevator and staircase surrounding the elevator. For some visitors the challenge of climbing the staircase will become a challenge (also, a future, annual, extreme sport challenge, see following,) while the elevator will be an attraction in itself. The completion of such a structure will allow transportation from the city to the bridge and from the bridge to the city; creating a loop in transportation, tying the city to the bridge and the bridge to the city. 4
Arkansas River, River Walk, Business Expansion Current opportunities along the river include Tunnel Drive and the South River Rim, which are ripe for development in hiking trails to the river access to the bridge; see aforementioned, as well as other routes, creating nature and recreational challenges. The current River Walk expansion to the college can bring visitors for educational opportunities and the completed eastbound river walk allows visitors at the resort the opportunity for exercise and a true nature walk. Without a doubt the most exciting opportunities lie in the creation of new businesses along the Golden Triangle resort areas. River side beverage, food services, transportation rentals, artist exhibits and tourism shops allow visitors reasons to visit the river walk, as well as historic downtown. Creation of Arkansas River Extreme Sports, Annual Events Expansion in how the Royal Gorge is viewed, as well as the creation of the resort, increased uses of the train, river walks, and hiking trails can lead to annual events to attract extreme sports enthusiasts. The offering of an annual event that challenges extreme athletes to climb the bridge staircase (+1,000 feet,) will bring those athletes who compete in similar events. The creation a Annual Arkansas River/Royal Gorge Marathon which begins at the base of the bridge elevator, staircase, challenges the runners to a deal with a few miles of running on the railway, then transferring to the river walk with it s natural setting, it will bring many to the city and bridge. The creation of the Annual Arkansas River Extreme Event, on the south side of the river, where athletes are challenged to navigate the rigors of Canon City s past water supply route, ending at the south entrance of the bridge, could bring national attention to one of the most extreme challenges. 5
Corrections Hall of Fame, Museum, Crime Prevention Center Canon City, Fremont County is privileged to be the location in Southern Colorado where residents are protected and served by correctional administration and officers. The Golden Triangle currently has the potential to add vital property, to include a historical structure, the Canon City Power Plant, which can become Colorado s Corrections Hall of Fame, Museum, with a future Wax Museum exhibit. This allows the community, visitors to understand the value in the profession of corrections and it would be appropriate for the community to honor administration, officers with an annual event that inducts those in service into a Hall of Fame. It is also possible to expand the current prison museum to tell the history of corrections and educate in the professional opportunities in serving. Being closing tied, geographically and walking distance, to Pueblo Community College extension facility, the Hall of Fame, Museum and PCC can develop Crime Prevention Education Programs, allowing residents and visitors the opportunity to have a safe future through learning how to protect themselves, their loved ones. It is time to embrace our lineage in being Colorado s premier corrections geographic location, while meeting the needs in curiosity of those interested, residents and visitors. We need to embrace the concept that Crime does not pay, and become a location where others can be taught the values in abiding in the law. Summary The combination of natural resources, the Arkansas River, River Walk; the existing Royal Gorge Train; City Owned Land; a Downtown Historic District ready to receive visitors; and all of theses directly in the view of Highway 50, offers a great opportunity to compliment the development of the Bridge as it completes the need to attract and move visitors back and forth from both locations. The development of the South Canon City Center/ Canon City s Golden Triangle needs to be an encompassing vision, with progressive goals to capture low hanging fruit, those attractions bringing short and long term success. Respectfully submitted, Al, Linda Ballard, 813 Macon Avenue, Canon City, CO 81212 719.275.5354, www.thecanoncityqueenanne.com 6