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36 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / September 2019 ELEMENTS Small Towns Changing the Future of Small Town Colorado C olorado has long been a recreational mecca. Ski- ing, hiking, biking, rafting – the list of outdoor recreation op- portunities is endless. But the state is coming to a point of no return now as it makes way for a recreation-dominant economy, pushing beyond its industrial and mining past to embrace a more diverse set of economic drivers. On both sides of the Continental Divide, many communities are driving positive change through the implemen- tation of recreation-focused plans. The recent closing of the uranium mine in Na- turita, for instance, in addition to the soon-to-be closing coal power plant there, marks the end of the lingering industrial era in Montrose County. Locals swallowed the lump in their throat upon the news, but with a young population of newcomers moving into town for agricultural, recreational and even aviation-re- lated business opportunities, attitudes are shifting. The community sees opportunity in change and has come together to develop a unified vision for the future of the town. “Everyone’s excited,” said Sara Bachman, local attor- ney and Naturita area native who helped jump-start the parks and recreationmaster plan. “We reference the plan a lot – and between the economic development team’s studies and this plan, we’re ready to start imple- menting.” Our office helped guide the town’s visioning as we as- sisted with developing the plan and securing grants for its implementation. We put a big effort into engaging residents in the planning process. Input from local stu- dents was also incorporated into designs for parks, river access, and other practical, affordable solutions. The re- sulting plan stays true to the culture of the town and the people who live there. We were part of a team of professional ecologists, engineers, and architects whose collective expertise and guidance helped Naturita create its plan for a sustainable future. Bachman says, “It was really helpful and gave us a lot of confidence to know that we could rely on Walker (Walker Christensen, DHM Durango principal) and the whole DHM team to drive the process, answer our ques- tions, know the right people, and get us from point A to point B.” The town has already put up new signage, has new slogans and logos, and has taken steps toward imple- menting other recommendations fromthe plan that ul- timately will transformNaturita into a new destination. Economic shift is often followed by displacement of people. It’s painful when jobs are lost or families are pushed out by rising property values. Naturita is no stranger to that – the fear is real, but the town is making enormous efforts to prevent such fromhappening. “More property in the area has been purchased in the last 18 months than in the last 18 years,” says Deana Sheriff, economic recovery coordinator for theWest End Economic Development Corp. But there are a number of programs, in addition to ideas for affordable housing, already in the works to offset potential displacement. The town is participating in the Markle Foundation’s rural pilot program called the Skillful initiative, which Ann Christensen Principal, DHM Design Gateway monumentation is one of the infrastructure pieces that Victor invites travelers to spend time in town while emphasizing its historic, mountain town identity. Outdoor recreation companies, as well as adventurous individuals, are finding new tourism opportunities in and around the San Miguel River, a tributary of the Dolores River.