Once again the city has left out the major stakeholders in a decision that affects all of Glenwood’s citizens. It seems that the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) along with City Council has decided for the citizens that Seventh Street should be closed.

In the three plus years that the citizens have put up with Seventh Street being closed, I don’t recall it ever was said that Seventh Street would be closed in the future except for the occasional event. Some downtown business and property owners would like to know why they were not consulted on this matter. What about access for deliveries, people with disabilities, and the added traffic to the intersections on Grand Avenue?

The spending of over $2 million to create a plaza that will be used mostly in the summer months and impossible to maintain in the fall and winter months doesn’t seem practical. Nor does a fountain that will be shut down close to six or more months out of the year. The DDA has painted itself into a corner by creating a street that is too expensive to maintain, meanwhile pocket parks and flower beds are not being watered or weeded. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since the city turned one block of Cooper Avenue (between Seventh and Eighth streets) into a parking lot. Closing streets only makes the traffic in town worse.

The citizens need Seventh Street to be open (except for the occasional event).

Don “ Hooner” Gillespie,
Glenwood Springs