With the help of many from the community, a mural will soon be at the intersection of Highways 160 and 184. The mural will be on the west side of the Mancos Liquor store. In addition, it will spiff up that corner that now consists of a Colorado Department of Transportation building and some grassy areas.
The town of Mancos has agreed to landscape much of the area around the intersection and along Highway 160, which includes installing a xeriscape in the triangular area just in front of the proposed mural.
"It will hopefully be done by Mancos Days," said Betsy Harrison, one of the organizers and president of the Mancos Valley Chamber of Commerce.
The Mancos Heritage Project is a joint effort of the Mancos Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Mancos Valley Arts Council, working in collaboration with CDOT and the Town of Mancos.
The goal of the project is to upgrade the appearance of the traffic light intersection. "We would like to think that this effort is only 'phase one' of an ongoing beautification effort," Harrison said.
Several years ago, the Chamber surveyed a number of Mancos businesses in an effort to find what they thought was important to the growth and sustainability of Mancos. Harrison said that one of the most consistent responses mentioned was "pride in our town."
Unlike Cortez, Durango or Dolores, the main traffic arteries bypass the heart of Mancos.
In addition to the mural, which will be a Western-themed painting, there is landscaping to be done between the liquor store and the CDOT building and repainting of the building itself with materials supplied by CDOT.
Funding for the project will come from grant requests submitted to local charitable organizations, a fundraising event featuring Chuck Pyle at the Millwood Junction on March 9, and private donations from the local citizens.
"We will accept donations - any size - from anyone," Harrison said.
For more information contact Harrison at 739-1172 or mail donations to Mancos Valley Resources-Heritage Project, P.O. Box 204, Mancos, CO 81328. Checks should be made out to Mancos Valley Resources-Heritage Project.