Page 2 GRAND GAZETTE July 15, 2021 WWW.GRANDGAZETTE.NET Letter to the Editor Blue River access impacted by land exchange Dear Editor, Do you or any community members have questions about the BLM’s recently published Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), for a land exchange with Blue Valley Ranch in Summit and Grand Counties? Per the preferred alternative, 1,489 acres of BLM- managed land would be conveyed from Federal ownership to the Blue Valley Ranch in exchange for 1,832 acres of non-Federal lands. This proposal could privatize many miles of Blue River-front with a possibility of a few recreation improvements in other locations, but no guarantee. Potentially, no public land access would remain along a privatized 10-mile stretch of the Blue River, a gold medal trout stream. The BLM prepared a new additional alternative for evaluation in this comment period. Colorado Wild Public Lands (COWPL) is a non-profit organization Ranch process. See our comments org/land-exchange-updates.html Public Lands, please contact us at who works to keep public lands open and the land appraisals that COWPL This is an important opportunity [email protected] and accessible and we follow land acquired through the Freedom of to express your thoughts or concerns exchanges throughout Colorado. Information Act on our website about the land exchange by August We’ve been watching the Blue Valley Yours sincerely, at http://coloradowildpubliclands. 2, 2021. See https://eplanning.blm. gov/eplanning-ui/project/81162/510. The Board of Directors, Every comment period is an Colorado Wild Public Lands opportunity to amplify your voice. coloradowildpubliclands.org If you have any questions about the exchange or would like to learn more about Colorado Wild FAITH NOTES Kremmling Gore Range Baptist Church: Community Church Pastor Allen will host a Sunday & The Gathering service via Facebook Live at 10am. Sunday worship gatherings Find this and other resources on will be held at 10am and 5pm. Facebook at Gore Range Baptist Weekly emails provide Church. -- Take note that services updates, ongoing opportunities, are telecast via the private Facebook and Stirring Group news. For group and not the Church’s main courtesy photo more information or to sign page. Go to https://www.facebook. Carl Wood was excited to help bring the Petersens to Kremmling for the up for email contact, go to com/groups/1236993409966318/ Elevation Festival. Ellen Petersen Haygood (banjo), Emmett Franz kremmlingcommunitychurch.org. and request to join. (dobro), Carl Wood (Elevation), Karen Petersen (bass), Matt Petersen St. Peter’s Catholic Church: (guitar), Julieanne Petersen (top) (mandolin), Katie Petersen (front) Trinity Episcopal Church: (fiddle), Jon Petersen (dad) and Randy Franz (sound and Emmett's Masses continue with limited Dad) (with St. John the attendees. Sign up for 10am mass at Baptist in Granby) St. Peter’s in Kremmling online at 2 1 GrandCatholic.com. Confession is 8 5 3 7 9 6 4 Services will be held via available 30 minutes prior to mass. Zoom at 5:00pm Saturday 7 1 4 6 8 3 5 2 9 Mass will also be live- and 9:30am Sunday. 9 2 6 5 4 1 8 3 7 streamed from Our Lady of Centering Prayer is via the Snow in Granby at 9:30am 7 1 2 6 8 9 4 3 5 Zoom at 3pm on Fridays. Sunday via YouTube at Grand 1 3 5 2 7 6 9 4 8 Bible Study via Zoom Catholic. The Spanish language at 11am Wednesday. Keller Williams Realty 2 4 9 8 3 5 6 7 1 mass is on Fridays at 7:00pm. All links and ongoing 1 2 Find streaming information and Sudoku Answer Key 4 6 8 5 7 9 3 updates can be found on sign up for ongoing updates via 3 9 1 4 6 7 2 8 5 Facebook @TrinityKremmling Flocknote at GrandCatholic.com. or @StJohnsGranby or Puzzle on page 21 5 7 2 3 9 8 4 1 6 Puzzle by websudoku.com at stjohnsgranby.org. Page 3 GRAND GAZETTE July 15, 2021 WWW.GRANDGAZETTE.NET Colorado Timber Resources purchases Bob’s Western for workforce housing by Meg Soyars He predicts that the entire remodeling process In an era of desperation for will take 2-3 months. “It affordable housing in West Grand, just needs a little face-lift. a positive development has finally There will be new insulation, come to light. This fall, employees of new windows, and siding.” Colorado Timber Resources (CTR) They will also add a new will be able to call Kremmling home. roof on one of the units and “It was a great move for us and upgrade the electrical wiring, something that was needed,” said along with remodeling the Dave Fiala, one of the owners of CTR. interiors of some of the The Parshall-based mill harvests rooms. Last but not least, lodgepole pine to sell lumber products CTR will build a shared nationally and locally. “When we kitchen area for the staff. attract a person to work for us “We plan to improve from outside the area, [housing] is it to give it a positive look one of their first questions,” Fiala for the community,” Fiala continued. “They say, ‘I know added. He also plans to retain housing’s difficult. Where can I stay the motel’s vintage, iconic for a month or two while I find a signage. “I would love to redo place; where can I lay my head?’” the sign and make it new but Over the past year, the owners still keep the original look; of CTR had been searching for it’s a neat sign,” he said. affordable accommodations in According to Fiala, photo by Kim Cameron Grand County for their staff, making demand for the rooms has been high. The house has already Colorado Timber Resources is responding to the housing crisis in Grand employment with their mill viable County by purchasing Bob's Western in Kremmling for employee housing. long-term. They finally chose been spoken for by current Kremmling’s former motel, Bob’s employees, as well as the Western, as their home base for available motel rooms. CTR several reasons. “This community has not yet advertised publicly that groundwork for more housing to and locals who live here. “There’s has been very supportive of corporate they are offering workforce housing benefit employees. CTR plans to look a balance between supporting housing and of us improving the look since they are retaining rooms for at properties in West Grand for future your community and bringing in of [the motel],” Fiala said thankfully. current staff and don’t want to be affordable housing developments. revenue, while also creating a place Ideally, CTR would like to purchase for people who work here full-time Although Bob’s Western has overwhelmed. “Before we had even closed the deal, people were wanting land and build a property on it to live and have a family,” Fiala needed upgrades since its closure, themselves. They plan to stay local explained. Workforce housing like CTR saw great potential in the to move in,” Fiala said. “We could have filled up the motel twice!” so that residents can enjoy a short Bob’s Western will finally give building. Most importantly, it commute to their job. “People don’t both current and future employees offered plenty of rooms for their He added, however, that CTR’s development of workforce housing want to travel. In Denver, people of Colorado Timber Resources a staff. CTR has approximately 30 might travel an hour [for work], chance to build a life in Kremmling. employees and operates year-round, will not end with Bob’s Western. This is only their first step in creating but people here want to stay close. CTR’s goal is sustainability and so purchasing the entire property was I don’t blame them,” Fiala said. In their best choice for stable housing. sustainable housing for community economic growth through careful East Grand, affordable housing forest management and providing They now own the section on members. “We would love to continue to develop affordable housing, not developments are also breaking stable jobs in the community. the property’s north side, which ground, with the planning of Winter The following positions are open: includes a house and 2 buildings. just for our company, but for the community,” Fiala affirmed. “It’s Park’s Hideaway Junction and the millwright, heavy equipment “There are 18 motel units that range apartment complex Fireside Creek. mechanic, log loader operator, from 1-2 bedrooms, and the house absolutely needed for businesses here.” This is a welcome change for Perhaps a sea-change is taking green chain handler, dry chain is a 3-4 bedroom/2 bath,” Fiala said. place to offset the development of handler, & electrician. To learn more “The house will be rented out to a the resort community, which sees million-dollar properties being built second homes. “In some ways, it’s a about Colorado Timber Resources, family. The motel rooms we’ll rent love-hate relationship,” Fiala said of or to apply for employment, out to individuals or couples.” The by part-time residents or investors, often at the expense of those who the give-and-take between second- please visit coloradotr.com. units are set up as a typical motel home owners who spend money here, room, with a bedroom/living area call Grand County home. A Granby and a bathroom in each unit. Some resident, Fiala stated he’s seen the are single rooms and others are impact of the housing crisis on suites that could accommodate two local businesses, especially over people.