Yesterday the Western Colorado Congress of Mesa County held its annual meeting and election of officers for the coming year. The meeting was designed to focus on the work that has been done by members over the years, and to note the challenges that remain.
I think that the gathered members were surprised to learn that their President, Benita Phillips, is a registered Republican. The perception is that no Republican could possibly work with a bunch of tree-hugging environmentalists. At one point during the evening, Benita launched into an impassioned speech about how no Republican, prior to the Reagan era, ever considered that there should be any kind of trade-off of jobs for environmental justice. Protecting the environment doesn’t destroy jobs, and in fact, may create them.
One example is the work that Western Colorado Congress of Mesa County has done to protect the riverfront as it passes through Grand Junction. It is unfortunate that a perception exists that the work was all about destroying a local company, Brady Trucking. WCC-Mesa is not against any business, so long as it does not damage the long-term livability of our community.
The work to protect the riverfront was in support of the Grand Junction master plan, which envisions the real estate along the Colorado River as an attractive place for families to recreate and for wildlife to continue to thrive. The master plan envisions a large park that is adjacent to the current Brady Trucking property. In fact, at the corner of the park closest to the Brady property, the plan calls for an amphitheatre, adequate for musical concerts, outdoor plays, and all manner of public meetings.
Imagine if just that one enhancement existed. It isn’t hard to imagine businesses being attracted to the area to serve the concert-going public. In fact that is exactly what happened when San Antonio, TX cleaned up its water front and invested in walking and bike paths. Now on any evening in San Antonio, it is possible to see families walking along the riverfront, stopping in for dinner at one of many restaurants, and lingering over drinks on an outdoor patio, as the rest of the world drifts by. Right here in Colorado, Pueblo and Denver have both invested in making their riverfronts attractive and safe places for people to congregate. The businesses attracted to those redeveloped riverfronts employ lots and lots of people.
Grand Junction’s riverfront can be just as appealing to both families and businesses, so long as it does not revert to an industrial junk yard. The only mammals that enjoy playing in junk yards are four legged rats. Western Colorado Congress of Mesa County is working on behalf of a vision of the riverfront that includes development and families. There is no vendetta against development. There is a vendetta against anything that threatens the health of the community or the river.
P.S. Kevin King, Western Colorado Congress of Mesa County is not working on the Rocky Ford Cantaloupe problem because they are not grown in Mesa County. Given that you are against any kind of regulation, it is amusing that you think we should be working on cantaloupe regulation. For the record, we are gearing up to support local farmers who want to sell more product locally, including value added produce.
Homework
Grand Junction's Comprehensive Plan
Western Colorado Congress of Mesa County
I think that the gathered members were surprised to learn that their President, Benita Phillips, is a registered Republican. The perception is that no Republican could possibly work with a bunch of tree-hugging environmentalists. At one point during the evening, Benita launched into an impassioned speech about how no Republican, prior to the Reagan era, ever considered that there should be any kind of trade-off of jobs for environmental justice. Protecting the environment doesn’t destroy jobs, and in fact, may create them.
One example is the work that Western Colorado Congress of Mesa County has done to protect the riverfront as it passes through Grand Junction. It is unfortunate that a perception exists that the work was all about destroying a local company, Brady Trucking. WCC-Mesa is not against any business, so long as it does not damage the long-term livability of our community.
The work to protect the riverfront was in support of the Grand Junction master plan, which envisions the real estate along the Colorado River as an attractive place for families to recreate and for wildlife to continue to thrive. The master plan envisions a large park that is adjacent to the current Brady Trucking property. In fact, at the corner of the park closest to the Brady property, the plan calls for an amphitheatre, adequate for musical concerts, outdoor plays, and all manner of public meetings.
Imagine if just that one enhancement existed. It isn’t hard to imagine businesses being attracted to the area to serve the concert-going public. In fact that is exactly what happened when San Antonio, TX cleaned up its water front and invested in walking and bike paths. Now on any evening in San Antonio, it is possible to see families walking along the riverfront, stopping in for dinner at one of many restaurants, and lingering over drinks on an outdoor patio, as the rest of the world drifts by. Right here in Colorado, Pueblo and Denver have both invested in making their riverfronts attractive and safe places for people to congregate. The businesses attracted to those redeveloped riverfronts employ lots and lots of people.
Grand Junction’s riverfront can be just as appealing to both families and businesses, so long as it does not revert to an industrial junk yard. The only mammals that enjoy playing in junk yards are four legged rats. Western Colorado Congress of Mesa County is working on behalf of a vision of the riverfront that includes development and families. There is no vendetta against development. There is a vendetta against anything that threatens the health of the community or the river.
P.S. Kevin King, Western Colorado Congress of Mesa County is not working on the Rocky Ford Cantaloupe problem because they are not grown in Mesa County. Given that you are against any kind of regulation, it is amusing that you think we should be working on cantaloupe regulation. For the record, we are gearing up to support local farmers who want to sell more product locally, including value added produce.
Homework
Grand Junction's Comprehensive Plan
Western Colorado Congress of Mesa County
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