Dear Action Line: I’m wondering why the powers-that-be want to move the La Plata County Fairgrounds from its current spot on north Main to a plateau far, far away. I love having it in town, enjoying the events and hearing the horses neigh. Its location in the heart of the community is a wonderful thing. Concerned Neigh-bor
Dear Neigh-bor: Well, there are lots of opinions on this issue. Action Line will try to give a few points of view, offer some speculation, and sprinkle in a few facts here and there to keep everyone honest.
In April 2015, the Katz family purchased that plateau – a 1,850-acre tract then called Ewing Mesa – from the Pautsky family, and then donated it to the community. First observation: Wow, was that an incredible gift, or what?!!!!
Marc Katz, longtime Durangoan and co-founder of Mercury Payment Systems, agreed that this could be a site for a new fairgrounds. The Katzes basically just wanted the acreage put to good use, probably for recreation, and not developed into homes and a golf course, as had been the plan.
Before 2015, a county task force had already been considering a new fairgrounds home somewhere. The thought was that the 32-acre facility at 25th Street and Main Avenue is small, and not very accessible to large trucks with trailers lugging around horses or livestock. It’s also not a great place to camp in an RV or tent, and horses don’t mix well with speeding bicycles on the nearby trails. Ewing Mesa, now called Durango Mesa, offered more potential.
(Full disclosure: Action Line knows Katz from way back when he was simply the husband of a co-worker. Marc and his brother, Jeff, had some nutty idea about processing credit cards, but Action Line was busy selling climbing ropes and sleeping bags and didn’t really pay attention.)
As the years passed a group formed called the Durango Mesa Park Foundation, a nonprofit that took control of the land in 2019. The foundation will eventually turn ownership over to the city and county.
Planning is ongoing, but has progress on park plans been rapid?
Absolutely not!!!!
County officials caution not to expect anything for a while.
“There’s certainly nothing solid in place and all discussions thus far have been just that – discussions,” said Ted Holteen, the county’s public and governmental affairs manager, but we usually just call him spokesman. “Next is getting accurate and current price estimates for infrastructure – water, sewer, roads, etc., so I don’t think anything is realistically going to happen for quite some time.”
Finding money to complete any plans is another obstacle to be overcome.
Darrin Parmenter, La Plata County’s extension director, said fairgrounds plans have “been in the hopper for years” and agreed that it’s not going to happen in the immediate future. He emphasized that he’s not the one making decisions. After 15 years at the current site, he’s grown fond of having the fairgrounds in town, but sees the value of moving it, and understands the high value of the in-town land.
“The challenge of having the fairgrounds stay in town are primarily around space, and potential for others to have more space. Opportunity to hold bigger events, opportunity to have more parking, and new opportunities (for) equestrian folk, livestock folk, etc. If you have ever tried to find a parking spot during (the County Fair), or ever had to try and maneuver a truck and trailer in our parking lot, you may wish for a bigger fairgrounds.”
Outdoor concerts and mountain bike races are among the events that have already been held at Durango Mesa Park. Official trail building is underway as of this summer. But facilities are primitive. For instance, getting water piped to the site will take some planning, time and money. And that’s just for starters.
“Lots of ideas, concepts and conversations but money would be a large obstacle, obviously, and we don’t have those numbers yet,” Holteen said.
It seems inevitable that one day the fairgrounds will find a home far, far away from its current north Main site. But that day might not be all that soon.
Dear Action Line: So, work has finally begun on that hotel in south downtown. It’s only been, what, nine years from initial approval and four years since The Really Massive Pit was dug. But who's counting? So, it’s “AC Hotel by Marriott and Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton.” That takes almost as long to say as it’s taking to build! Why not just call it The Really Massive Pit Hotel? – Sign me, Norm dePlume, name consultant
Dear Norm: You exaggerate!!!!
Nine years!!!! It’s been only eight years and five months since city approval!!!!
The answer to your question is a redundant, yeah, why not!!!!
Perhaps someone could take up a collection so a historic plaque with this unofficial name can be laid into the sidewalk next to the entrance. Or into the building façade itself if the developers are up for that.
Let’s do it!!!!
Blue Monday
My Monday was going just fine
Then I checked for the Action Line
I patiently waited
And anticipated
Vacation? Or did the stars just align?
– Anonymous Poet
The sentiment is appreciated, dear reader. It was an unanticipated “vacation,” and Action Line rues the hardship the lack of a column last week has undoubtedly caused.
Email questions and suggestions to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. For those who need to know such things, Action Line used four exclamation marks in today’s column to denote each year that the massive pit has sat dormant.
