People in the Mancos Valley are excited about the prospects of making the Town of Mancos a welcoming place to live and to visit. Potential visitors to our community pass us on Highway 160 without realizing what a gem we have in Mancos. There have been several occasions when I have had visitors from Durango or Farmington stop by to say, "We finally decided to come see what you have to offer in Mancos. We always thought the grocery store and the gas station was your town."

In 2007, the Chamber of Commerce did a survey of businesses in the Mancos Valley to learn what was important to people in the area. One of the most frequently mentioned concerns was the importance of taking pride in our town and showing that pride by the way we maintain our businesses, our homes and our surrounding landscape.

The town invested in some signs along the highway to encourage people to take note of our community and to stop in for a visit. And now, the Mancos Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Mancos Valley Art Council have joined forces to collaborate with CDOT and the Town of Mancos on a project to improve the appearance of the intersection of Highways 160 and 184. Called the Heritage Project, this is a community effort to improve the appearance of our community along the highway corridor with the hope that this is only the first phase of other beautification projects to come.

The intersection project will include a western theme mural on the west side of the Mancos Liquor Building; painting the CDOT building (formerly a car wash and now a storage garage) that is behind the Mancos Liquor Building; and landscaping between the two buildings. In collaboration with the Heritage Project, the Town of Mancos has developed plans to landscape the triangle of land that is located on Willow and Highway 160. The town has submitted landscape plans for CDOT approval.

The Heritage Project is now looking for funding. Grants have been submitted; a fundraiser with the Chuck Pyle concert was accomplished and private donations are now being sought. Financial donations will be passed through Mancos Valley Resources, a 501-c3, and will be tax deductible. If you have questions, about the Heritage Project or about how you might be able to contribute, please, call the Mancos Valley Chamber of Commerce at 533-7434 or send an e-mail to chamber@mancosvalley.com.