The semifinal round of the Strongest Town Contest marked the end for the city of Durango. The city was one of four remaining competitors in the contest, which started with 16 towns.
The city succumbed to Norwood, Ohio, an urban enclave within Cincinnati, to a vote of 60.2% for Norwood and 39.8% for Durango.
Durango entered the contest in February and won two out of four rounds. The contest is hosted by Strong Towns, a nonprofit organization that helps city planners in the United States and Canada develop their communities in ways that address residents’ needs.
The winning town was promised a visit by Charles Marohn, founder of the nonprofit.
In the semifinal round, representatives of from each city participated in a roughly 10-minute interview with Rachel Quednau, Strong Towns program director and host of the podcast “The Bottom Up Revolution.”
Bryce Bierman, planner for the city, spoke on behalf of Durango. Quednau asked Bierman how Durango adapted to challenges caused by the pandemic.
Bierman said Main Avenue bump-outs are one example of how the city reacted to COVID-19.
He also mentioned the Durango Art Brigade and said it was created to provide funding to local artists during the pandemic.
Quednau asked Bierman what Durango is doing to become more financially resilient.
Bierman said the city is always trying to diversify its economy. Durango was mostly a mining town since its founding up until midway through the 20th century, when it began transitioning into a ski town or tourist hub, he said.
He said while a large piece of the economy is based on tourism, the city is trying to find ways to diversify. He noted Fort Lewis College, Mercy Hospital and Durango-La Plata County Airport are large institutions in the area but added the city would like to see other large institutions grow.
“We’re really trying to support from the bottom up with the small business here in town,” Bierman said.
How does a city such as Durango balance tourism with giving existing residents a voice and input about their community, Quednau asked.
Bierman said the subject remains a huge debate among residents.
He said many mountain towns in Colorado have experienced huge growth over the last 10 years, and Durango is no exception.
“It’s part of managing the expectations of the public,” Bierman said.
While tourism comes with some annoyances, it also has a lot of benefits for the city, he said.
He said it is often hard for the community to come to agreement about citywide tax measures, but one successful effort is the lodgers tax passed in April 2021. He said that reduces the pain felt by locals from constant tourism.
“We try to sell that idea to the locals here so we can continue to get support for the tourist industry because we want it to stay,” Bierman said. “At the same time, we do want to diversify (the economy) to hopefully hedge our bets against the future.”
cburney@durangoherald.com
