By James Dickhoff
Special to The SUN
On Wednesday, April 3, the Town of Pagosa Springs and the Historic Preservation Board will host a community presentation on the benefits of Heritage Tourism and Historic Preservation, featuring Dan Corson, the Intergovernmental Services Director from the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (History Colorado), and Laura Grey, the Heritage and Agritourism Program Manager, from the State Tourism Office.
The event is scheduled for the Ross Aragon Community Center gymnasium. An open house featuring images of old Pagosa Springs will start at 5 p.m., with presentations beginning at 5:30. Refreshments and light fare will be provided by Farrago’s.
Learn how preservation is progress. Not only does preservation help a community retain a unique identity, which encourages tourism, it creates jobs, increases tax revenue and is an effective economic development tool. Sometimes old is better than new in terms of life expectancy, energy efficiency and cost effectiveness. Learn about available tax credits and grants to help with your next preservation project.
Colorado has more funds available for historic preservation than any other state in the country. The State Historic Fund is a program established in 1990. Grant funds are generated from tax revenues collected from three gaming towns in Colorado, with almost $16 million collected annually and administered by the State Historical Fund for historic preservation activities throughout the state. A good portion of these grant funds are available for privately-owned projects, that can apply for multiple grants of up to $200,000 for each eligible grant application. Historical preservation project grants are available for building assessments, construction planning, project construction and more.
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, April 3, from 5-7 p.m. and plan on attending this informative community presentation on the benefits of Historic Preservation and Heritage Tourism. Bring a friend and encourage others to attend with you.
For more information, contact the Town Planning Department at 264-4151, Ext. 225.
