What to Do

Message from the President

Look around - Cañon City is changing… great things are happening here! It is finally happening; Cañon City and Fremont County are being discovered by the rest of Colorado as well as the rest of the country. As we are constantly trying to re-brand who we are, what we are, or what we want to be, the rest of our state and beyond is seeing us for what we really are. We are the “Climate Capital of Colorado.”  Coming west on Hwy 50 just east of town, as you round the corner, you see the large metal sign that announces you are about to enter Cañon City with the large cut out steel letters. At the bottom, it says something else…tough to read driving by at 65mph, but it is there - Climate Capital of Colorado. Who invented that?  No one, it is just what we are. That phrase means much more than just the weather, even though that is where it starts. That weather opens the door for many other things that we can do year round here.  Some examples are:

•    ride a motorcycle
•    golf
•    hike
•    hit the bike trails
•    ride a zip line
•    visit the Bridge
•    ride the train
•    shop the wineries
•    world class fly fishing
•    rock climb 

And, of course, our absolutely incredible summer rafting on the beautiful Arkansas River. 

We don’t need to re-invent anything to be great. We just need to capitalize on what we are, and what we have to offer to locals and outsiders as well.

I have the opportunity to ask many people “Why are you here?”  Climate is always one of the top answers.   Not to mention affordability, proximity to larger cities and airports, and fantastic quality of life with a great sense of community. They almost always mention the events and activities that occur most weekends throughout the year too. The “happening” here is endless!  If you are bored in Canon, City, get out, get involved, participate and enjoy what your community has to offer. It is probably more than you imagine.  If you don’t know how, call the Chamber. Let us show you how you can get involved!

The downtown area is the core of any community. The stronger it is, the stronger the entire business community is.  Downtown Cañon City is beautiful; even though some people feel the bump outs are difficult to navigate. They are here to stay. Those bump outs make the street aesthetically pleasing and pedestrian friendly too. Just a few quick steps and you are across the street at the new intersections. The hanging flower baskets that adorned Main St from 9th St to 1st St were very impressive and enjoyed by tourists and locals alike. Many of you may not know that these hanging baskets were sponsored and maintained by the Chamber. Just one of the many things the Canon City Chamber of Commerce does to improve the quality of business and tourism in our town.

The tourists, bike riders, rock climbers and some locals are noticing that “things are happening here.” Hopefully, you (local business owners) are noticing what is happening too. Many of the buildings in the downtown area are no longer vacant, with new businesses popping up. Our residential real estate market is very hot and homes are selling at a fast pace. 

It is up to you as business owners, potential business owners, or just great local citizens that want Cañon City to be the best it can be, to have a positive attitude towards all of what our community has to offer. We need to be in front of this wave of opportunity, not on the back side of it. There are three kinds of people in this world:

Those who make things happen
Those who watch things happen
Those who wonder what happened.   
Which do you want to be?  

If you are not a Chamber member, please join. If you are a member, please encourage someone you know to join so they can also be part of this great place to be. Invite them to “come out and play.” The weather is GREAT.

Dan Brown
2017 President