News Release: Ouray Declares Economic Emergency

News release posted for City of Ouray, Colorado and County of Ouray, Colorado.

Contact: Glenn Boyd, Ouray County Emergency Manager and City Council Member City of Ouray
Email: gboyd@ouraycountyco.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ouray, Colo - Pamela Larson, the Mayor of Ouray, Colorado, has sent a declaration of economic disaster and emergency to Governor Hickenlooper, requesting assistance on behalf of the City’s business community. The Mayor made the declaration on Monday May 12, 2014 at 6:00pm. The City Council will ratify the adopted the emergency declaration at its meeting on May 19, 2014 at 7:00pm. The Board of County Commissioners for Ouray County also passed a resolution in support of the City’s declaration at its meeting on May 13, 2014.

An economic emergency arises when conditions beyond the control of the community result in economic hardship. Such a declaration paves the way for federal and state assistance, including loans from the federal Small Business Administration. The emergency declaration results from a massive landslide earlier in 2014 that has closed Highway 550 through Red Mountain Pass for extended periods of time. The road is currently under construction by Colorado Department of Highways to repair damage and to place chain covers over areas most susceptible to rock movement. While the construction is appreciated, and necessary to prevent future disastrous slides, closure of the road in the beginning of tourist season, after having also been closed for extended periods over the winter, has had a very detrimental impact on local businesses.

Red Mountain Pass connects the City of Ouray to the Town of Silverton and is the main route between southern Ouray County and San Juan County. The road is heavily traveled by both locals and visitors during the summer. Those visitors often spend time in the City of Ouray and elsewhere in Ouray County, en-route to Durango or other destinations to the south, including Mesa Verde. Businesses count on these visitors for business during the relatively short summer season.
The City also hopes to heighten awareness that the highway us open to the City of Ouray. Various signage along the highway has been limited and somewhat confusing on that point.

“We are open for business and looking forward to a strong summer visitor season. Most jeep trails, hiking areas, fishing access and other recreational opportunities are available during the highway construction. We encourage the public to come and visit us,” said Mayor Larson.

Any questions regarding highway closures should be directed to CDOT. Any question regarding access to businesses and recreation sites should be directed to Glenn Boyd.

Media Release: Visit Ouray Colorado for Rocky Road - Shope Ouray Weekend

ROCKY ROAD - SHOP OURAY WEEKEND

Saturday February 8, 2014 and Sunday February 9, 2014

The recent closure of Red Mountain Pass due to a massive rock slide has given local residents a taste of what life was like in this tiny mountain town not too many years ago. There was a period of time in Ouray after the mines closed and before the creation of the Ouray Ice Park when it was so quiet in the winter that local children could safely sled across Main Street with little concern about traffic. Many businesses on Main Street closed for the season and many nights it was difficult to find an open restaurant. Fortunately, today the Ouray Hot Springs Pool is open year-round, restaurants and shops are open, special events happen every week, and the Ouray Ice Park and Ironton Nordic Ski area have made Ouray just as fun and accessible in the winter as in summer.

Main Street Ouray has been very quiet recently with traffic traveling over alternate routes to Red Mountain Pass. The closure on Highway 550 has also temporarily cut Ouray off from our sister city, Silverton. For more than 100 years the residents of Silverton and Ouray have recognized the necessity of working together and supporting each other while working and enjoying life in these high mountains.

Workers from each community and many from CDOT have worked tirelessly over the past few weeks to stabilize loose rock, and Red Mountain Pass is now open for two hours each morning and two hours in the evening. Local rock climbers and mountain guides from Rigging for Rescue have applied their mountaineering skills to access the steep cliffs where the rock slide occurred. A helicopter from Silverton Mountain that is usually lifting skiers up to backcountry powder glades was made available for lifting heavy steel nets, which were bolted to the mountainside to prevent further rock fall. Crews worked long hours to successfully complete the work before the arrival of a winter storm. Just hours before the first snowflakes began to fall the Colorado Department of Transportation announced that the road is reopened, albeit with limited one lane travel.

Even with the road partially open, Ouray and Silverton are still feeling the impact of the road closure. Businesses in both communities have reported a substantial drop in business since the road was closed in mid-January. A typical day in January sees 2,100 vehicles crossing Red Mountain Pass between the two communities, and many travelers make the choice to stop in town or even spend the night. Cutting those numbers to zero has major repercussions for Main Street.

 The Good News

The good news is that Ouray is still easily accessible from the north, as is Silverton from the south. Even the detour over Lizard Head Pass and Highway 145 only adds about an hour of travel time from Durango and follows a spectacular portion of the San Juan Scenic Byway. Visitors to Ouray always comment about the special treatment they receive during the winter season and how appreciative people in Ouray are to see them. While we look forward to planning a grand reopening party for Highway 550 with our neighbors in Silverton soon, we hope to see our regional visitors back in town much sooner.

The Ouray Chamber Resort Association and the City of Ouray are promoting this upcoming weekend – February 8th & 9th as a “Rocky Road - Shop Ouray Weekend.” This is the perfect time to invite friends from Montrose or Grand Junction (or anywhere else) to meet at the Hot Springs Pool, to visit one of Ouray's delightful breakfast shops for coffee and a treat, to visit the Ouray Ski Hill and après ski at a Ouray restaurant, or buy a sled and make some trips down Vinegar Hill. (But don't sled down Main Street; there is more traffic than in the 1980's!) The San Juan Mountains in the winter are like no other place on earth. Take a few hours, or a whole weekend, and enjoy them during the “Rocky Road - Shop Ouray Weekend.” We look forward to seeing you in Ouray soon.

Here are just a few ways you can enjoy Ouray this weekend:

• Invite your friends from Grand Junction, Delta, Montrose, Telluride, Norwood and beyond to meet you for a dip in the Hot Springs Pool.
• Get your morning coffee fix from your favorite coffee shop on Main Street.
• Splurge for a dinner out.
• Visit your local grocery or hardware store for your essentials.
• Shop early for a special gift for a Valentine, birthday, or graduation.
• Take a "staycation" and treat yourself to a night at hotel or B & B.
• Schedule a much needed spa day or massage.
• Finally fulfill your dream of learning to ice climb!
• Buy a sled and join the kids on Vinegar Hill.
• Treat yourself to that beautiful piece of art or jewelry - you are worth it!
• Fill up your gas tank in town.
• Purchase a special treat for a teacher, neighbor or civil servant.
• Give your favorite bartender or server an extra tip.
• Visit a shop or restaurant you have never been to before.
• Organize your own brewery, pub and restaurant crawl in town.
• Make a donation to your favorite local non-profit organization.
• Share photos of your Ouray life on social media and encourage your friends and relatives to come for a visit.