Estes Park EDC Community Breakfast Celebrates Successes, Encourages Next Steps
Nearly 100 Estes Park community leaders attended the recent annual Estes Park EDC Community Leaders Breakfast. The breakfast was held at the Ridgeline Hotel Conference Center on November 2nd. The purpose of the breakfast meeting was to inform community leaders about economic investments and successes in the Estes Valley and energize community members to continue promoting solutions to challenges facing the community.
Estes Park EDC Board Chair Jim Pickering welcomed the group and recognized those that have had a hand in developing the Estes Park EDC by stating that “As of today, 49 different individuals representing 35 different businesses, taxing districts and organizations have served as Directors of the Estes Park EDC. 15 other individuals and businesses have supported us financially. The Estes Park EDC has worked with 33 different organizations on a project basis at the local, regional, state and national level. In addition to our directors, 70 different individuals have served on our broadband, childcare services, code development, strategic planning, work force housing and entrepreneurial center committees.
Jon Nicholas, President/CEO of Estes Park EDC started by quoting Steve Jobs: “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.” He then described some of the community awards received over the last year to including: the Estes Park School District Board receiving the CASB All State Board Award for Colorado; 2) the Town of Estes Park winning the national Mid-Sized Circle of Champions America in Bloom Award; and 3) the Town of Estes Park receiving the AWPA Colorado Award for the newly completed parking structure.
The breakfast also recognized a number of community investments in the Estes Valley completed or begun over the last year including: the Ridgeline Hotel purchase by Delaware North and phase one renovation; improvement and expansion at the Stanley Hotel campus; the Fall River Village expansion; completion of the O’Reilly Auto Parts and Dollar General stores; and the openings of the Bird and Jim restaurant and Seasoned – An American Bistro. The Estes Valley Recreation and Park District expects to complete the Community Center in early 2016.
In 2018, Estes Park EDC anticipates focusing more resources and time to address barriers to workforce housing and childcare, expansion of programs and services for entrepreneurs through a relationship with the Innosphere in Fort Collins, and increased business retention & expansion activities. Estes Park EDC will also continue to support the Town’s progress on addressing high-speed affordable broadband services for the Estes region.
Board Chair Jim Pickering also acknowledged that Estes Park EDC received the Economic Development Council of Colorado (EDCC) Small Community of the Year Award for 2017; and a 2017 Silver Excellence in Economic Development Award for its small community General Purpose Website, from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).
Estes Park EDC thanks all those who came out for the Community Leaders breakfast. It’s always good to see such a diverse group of people from every spectrum of Estes Park come together in a spirit of working for the betterment of our community.