Around Your Region

Matt Zalaznick, mzalaznick@vaildaily.com
July 2, 2008

Hockeytown and ski country?
Vail – OK, Vail may not be Detroit or Montreal, but the resort town is slated to join the professional hockey world in a few years.

Mark Masinter, who plans to rebuild the Lionshead parking garage, says he’ll bring a Central Hockey League team to town and build a new arena. The Central Hockey League — equivalent to AA baseball — already has two successful teams on the Front Range.

Masinter says games could draw about 5,000 fans.

There’s no word on what the team’s nickname will be, but early favorites include the Pine Beetles, the Second-Home Owners and the Ragin’ Redevelopers.

Parking dilemma
Vail – Parking is now a year-round problem in Vail.

Along with wintertime’s crammed frontage roads, summertime shoppers say they can’t find spaces because of all the construction workers in the parking garages. To make room, the town has closed part of the parking garage until 10 a.m. so visitors who don’t get up at the crack of dawn can find a space and go spend money in Vail Village.

Construction workers, meanwhile, have promised to carpool and park in some outlying lots.

The town is considering charging for parking in the summer and Town Councilwoman Margaret Rogers suggested banning pickup trucks in the garages. Town Councilman Mark Gordon said it’s time to build a parking garage at Ford Park and put the playing fields on the roof.

As for next winter, while some worry about the crowds that will be lured by Vail Resorts’ new discounted “Epic” ski pass, the town is busy creating 500 spots at the Chamonix property, the old Wendy’s site, Donovan Park and at Dowd Junction. Creating the lots will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to town estimates.

Eagle-Vail about to evolve
Eagle-Vail – The neighborhood famous for its golf course, business strip and controversial “half-diamond” interchange has seen the future.

Planners from the nonprofit Urban Land Institute have mapped out how they think the community should grow. First of all, they said, the neighborhood needs a town center of sorts where the lake and pavilion are now. Ideally, it should have a pedestrian bridge that spans I-70 to the business district along Highway 6.

The planners, along with Eagle County, said they would like to see the business strip redeveloped into a “mixed-use” area that still has plenty of shops and offices, but also has a lot more housing, particularly the affordable type.

They also thought the golf course should go upscale and try to attract out-of-towners willing to spend more on their rounds.

Finally, they said the soon-to-be-vacated Battle Mountain High School campus should be used for a new school that would have kindergarten through eighth grade. They suggested the school district close nearby Meadow Mountain Elementary and Minturn Middle School.

Eagle-Vail leaders hailed the report and said this is the first step in the neighborhood’s rebirth. But there is no timetable for any of the projects.

Local political doldrums
Eagle County – While a lot of Eagle County voters say they’re captivated by the presidential race between Barack Obama and John McCain, a group of them interviewed this weekend say they’re not engaged in local politics yet.

In November, voters will elect two county commissioners. Democratic incumbent Peter Runyon faces a challenge from Republican former commissioner Dick Gustafson for the upvalley seat. And former Eagle mayor Jon Stavney, a Democrat, is running against Republican former Avon town councilwoman Debbie Buckley to fill the midvalley seat being vacated by the term-limited Arn Menconi.

Also on the ballot, for Avon voters, will be four seats on the Town Council. Eagle County voters also will get to pick a new U.S. senator and congressman, and vote on who will represent them in the state Senate and House of Representatives.

Many voters said they will probably won’t learn all the candidates positions until closer to Election Day.

Green-collar jobs
With alternative energy all the rage, Eagle County’s green-job sector is growing.

Consider Yuri Kostick, Eagle County’s “environmental sustainability coordinator.” One moment, he’s planning the large array of solar panels being installed at the Eagle County Regional Airport. The next moment, he’s hunting down environmentally friendly office supplies for the county offices.

Then there’s Megan Gilman, who a few years ago began a business called Active Energies, which can perform energy audits on homes and businesses, design and install a solar–power systems or provide consulting on how to make your homes more efficient.

And there’s also Matthew Charles, a systems designer with Grid Feeders, a local business that designs and installs renewable-energy systems such as solar and hydroelectric. Charles said the company has expanded quickly over just a year. It started as a one-man job and grew to two, three, four and then five.

“That was based strictly on the local demand in the renewable-energy market,” Charles said.

Interfaith in Edwards
Edwards – A group raising funds and planning an interfaith chapel for Edwards has gotten their concept approved by Eagle County.

The chapel would be a companion of sorts to the chapels in Vail and Beaver Creek, but also serve as a community gathering place, its designers say.

They hope to build community rooms, classrooms, basketball courts and space for weddings.

Clergy from the B’Nai Vail Congregation, the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, the Mount of the Holy Cross Lutheran Church and the Presbyterian church in Vail are involved, and construction could begin early next year.