CAÑON CITY, CO — The multi-million dollar plan is to improve Cañon City water infrastructure while also bringing a place to play to the community.
The plan sparked interest after officials in Fremont County expressed their interest in creating a reservoir within John Griffin Regional Park and the need for federal aid.
We went today and spoke with local community members about how they were feeling ahead of the project.
Diane Dearmore was raised in Colorado Springs. Part of the reason she moved to Canyon City was because of the Arkansas River.
She says she will be open to supporting the project as long as it protects the environment.
“For the 30 years I’ve visited this river and now live a couple blocks away, I guess as long as it’s sustainable.”
The goals of creating the reservoir are to meet three critical needs in the community: increasing water storage, creating new recreational opportunities, and restoring the habitat along the Arkansas River.
The project is still in the beginning phases.
Justin Kurth, the regional director for the U.S. representative behind the project, tells me that they won’t even start breaking ground for up to fifteen years.
For more information about the project, watch the video above.
___
Is it 'truly' affordable to live in Colorado Springs?
How easy is it to find an affordable home? If someone earns $51,000 a year and a third of their income goes to rent, they would need to find an apartment for about $1,280 a month. News5's Eleanor Sheahan takes you on a journey searching for this answer.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
