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Spring Rewards results, summer parking, Nonprofit of the Year

The Durango Business Improvement District is pleased to announce that the Spring Rewards Program was a huge success. BID’s Spring Rewards Program was presented by Alpine Bank, and proudly sponsored by Morehart Murphy Regional Auto Center and Durango Chamber of Commerce.

BID created Rewards Program promotions in 2020 during the height of the pandemic as a way to reward you for shopping local. These programs were so successful that they are now part of BID’s annual work for businesses in the heart of Durango. Combined, the previous four rewards programs BID has operated have produced more than $400,000 in spending at local businesses.

The 2022 Spring Rewards Program started April 1 and ended April 30. Two hundred people submitted receipts and claimed a $50 gift card as their reward. The receipts submitted were from 156 different businesses, and the total amount spent at local businesses because of the Spring Rewards Program was $135,500!

BID will continue to offer these promotions, and the next will be during the holiday shopping season late this year.

Summer parking downtown can feel challenging when many people are visiting our wonderful town. Here are a few reminders of where you can easily find parking. If you are coming downtown during the workweek, be prepared to pay the parking meters. Main Avenue from Fifth to 11th streets is usually pretty full, so try parking on the north or south ends of East Second Avenue or Narrow Gauge Avenue. If you can walk a couple of blocks, park at Buckley Park where the meters are the most affordable and there are always open spaces.

If you are coming downtown on a weeknight or a weekend, you can park free in any city parking lot after 5 p.m. These include the Transit Center lot, the three lots on East Second Avenue and the parking lots at City Hall.

Earlier this week, BID received a huge honor from the Durango Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber held its annual Durango Rocks! awards show, where individuals and businesses are recognized for their work in the past year. BID won the 2021 Nonprofit of the Year! We were thrilled to be nominated and so happy to win this prestigious award.

The BID staff and board members always work hard for the hundreds of businesses we represent that are located in the heart of Durango, but we have never worked harder than the past two years. Highlights from 2021 include:

  • Growth in BID’s social media engagement and website usage.
  • A partnership with Visit Durango on a win a trip to Durango sweepstakes that produced 85,000 entries.
  • Three rewards programs that produced $285,000 in spending at local businesses.
  • The most hours and interactions ever in our Ambassador Program.
  • Management of events that were attended by 9,000 people.
  • Continued COVID-19 response efforts.
  • BID distributed $60,000 in grants and reimbursements to businesses, provided 1,000 masks and also operated two vaccine clinics that allowed 70 front-line workers to get their vaccines.

Thank you to the Chamber for this award!

I hope to see you downtown and in the North Main District soon.

Tim Walsworth is executive director of Durango Business Improvement District. Reach him at timw@downtowndurango.org or 375-5068.