By James Dickhoff
Special to The SUN
The town’s Historic Preservation Board will host a community presentation on the benefits of heritage tourism and historic preservation on Wednesday, April 3, from 5-7 p.m. at the Ross Aragon Community Center.
Subject matter experts Dan Corson, Intergovernmental Services Director from the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (History Colorado), and Laura Grey, Heritage and Agritourism Program Manager from the State Tourism office, will provide a wealth of information that will highlight the immense opportunities within Colorado and for Pagosa Springs.
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.
Historic preservation can 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 state funds available for historic preservation than all of the other states in the country combined. The State Historic Fund is a program that was established in 1990 that collects funds generated from tax revenues from the three gaming towns in Colorado: Cripple Creek, Central City and Black Hawk. Approximately $16 million is collected annually and administered by the State Historical Fund for historic preservation activities throughout the state. A good portion of these collected funds are available for grants that are available for privately-owned projects. Eligible projects 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.
Plan on attending this informative community presentation on the benefits of historic preservation and heritage tourism and learn how they can provide economic development for Pagosa Springs. Bring a friend and encourage others to attend with you.
For more information or questions, contact the town Planning Department at 264-4151, Ext. 225.
