Besides, the current fire station location is the best site for the future, new downtown fire station with a lease of land from what should be a cooperative city government. Otherwise, the fire district has to find and pay for another downtown location with money it doesn’t have. A new fire station at that location doesn’t have $9 million in access issues to overcome.

The STEAM Park is a great idea, but a more appropriate location might get more support. A better river location for a new arts and performance center is the aging fish hatchery property. No street realignment, no changes to the river trail, no tunnels under Camino del Rio. A great complement to the new library nearby. The property isn’t currently available, and the money doesn’t exist today for a new fish hatchery – just like the fire station location for a new STEAM Park. But at least the foot fits in the shoe at that location – and will be considerably more stylish. Rather than forcing a critically located fire station to move, maybe our city and state representatives should pursue a long-term plan to find city and state money to fund and move the fish hatchery out near Lake Nighthorse and make that more feasible river property available.

Ken Temple

Durango