CENTER – On Feb. 5, the Town of Center Vitality Program hosted a community meeting about leadership, building community, and ways in which the community could help take part in making the town a nicer place to live. 

Approximately 25 people attended the meeting at the Center Theater, 335 E. Fourth St.  

Everyone was asked to write down on a small piece of paper ways in which they thought the community could be improved, and everyone that lived in Center was also asked to show how long they lived there by posting a dot on a bulletin board next to the number of years that they had lived there. 

Downtown Colorado Executive Director Katherine Correll was the speaker at the meeting. 

“We are going to be looking at housing projects, as well as beautification, and other support that we can offer to the community. We are hoping to push off doing a leadership program; we are looking to do our first session in advance of elections. You can come out and ask leaders questions and ask them about the different efforts of the community. We will also be looking at engaging youth this year. We will be looking at engaging more youth, and getting some paid internships with youth, so that they can go out and ask what people want to see. In the fall this year we are also going to have master planning, to help us map out the rest of the North 90 project, too.”  

Correll also did a recap on all the information for the North 90 project. There is currently $2 million in grant funding that has been successfully awarded for the project to begin the infrastructure. Correll stated that they will need more funding for the project though, so they will have to figure out ways in which to obtain more, and they also have to do a master plan.  

Discussion was held with residents of Center about what they feel could improve the town. Many stated that they would like to see more programs for youth, possibly a recreation center. 

Correll explained that they would be holding another meeting of this type, possibly in March or May, and they wanted to host them more, and include the Heart and Soul program as a way to help people in Center to see leadership and community opportunities and further engage the community.  

Correll also spoke about some positive changes that were taking place in downtown Center, including two business owners, that were expanding to help open a restaurant and more artist spaces for the community. 

Krystal Anton and Steve Huey were mentioned, and a tour of the restaurant they are helping to open soon, along with their building at Alluvium Studio, was given. 

They are hoping to help draw more artists into the space and provide spaces for them to stay in, along with a gallery for them to show their art. They are also looking to provide office space in the restaurant that is opening for local entrepreneurs.  

New owner of the Center Theatre, Mark Falcone also spoke about owning the Frontier Drive-In and now owning the theater, stating he is hoping to provide more space there for community retreats or meetings. He stated that he and his family really don’t have a plan for the theater yet; they are just thinking of it as a blank slate that the community might use for multiple things.  

Correll ended the meeting by stating that there would be follow-up meetings throughout the year, and the idea is to keep the community engaged and up to date on what is taking place in Center, and work on ways to beautify and improve Center through community engagement.