Taylor Cramer, Post Independent
Mar 5, 2024
The town of Parachute is on the brink of a transformative journey, aimed at revitalizing its main thoroughfare, First Street, also known as Highway 6. The plan, which carries an estimated price tag of $10 million, according to town manager Travis Elliott, was presented to the public last Wednesday at the Parachute Plan Jam.
Holding a show and tell-like event last Wednesday at The Drop In in Parachute, the meeting marked a pivotal step in the town’s effort to enhance its downtown appeal through careful landscaping and thoughtful design.
“I’ve been on First Street off and on for 35 years, so this downtown thing has been going on for about 35 years,” Diana Lawerence-Meyer, local resident and business owner, said. Her experience in the area spans decades, highlighting the slow but steady progress toward downtown development. “This is the first time that I have seen things start to come to fruition. We’ve moved past phase one, and if we are being realistic, Parachute is the last great thing in Garfield County to be developed because we’ve had no development even though we need it.”
The renovation aims to transform the current layout of First Street to create a more welcoming, pedestrian-friendly environment. Proposals include the addition of protected bike lanes, a new park and plaza at the base of the pedestrian bridge, and the removal of the center turn lane to moderate traffic speed. Other notable changes involve creating a pedestrian-oriented hub on Hallett Street, establishing a 3-block event area, and enhancing the pedestrian experience with wider sidewalks and amenity zones featuring parklets, benches and sculptures.
“I’ve raised my kids and my grandkids here,” Lawrence-Meyer said. “It’s a legacy in my family and if we can build a beautiful city, we’re leaving a legacy for the town of Parachute.”
Lawrence-Meyer emphasized the desire to attract new business and investment to Parachute is a strong motivation for those supporting the project, with hopes that the revitalization will spark further growth and development.
“The town council adopted the revitalization of 1st Street as one of their top strategic goals,” Elliott said, underlining the project’s importance to the community’s future. He highlighted the current state of First Street, noting its need for basic repairs and upgrades, and expressed optimism about the potential for grant funding to support the project.