The recent events in Red River – murder and terrorizing gun violence caused by warring motorcycle gangs – caused me to reflect on Durango’s vibrant Main Avenue.
My family has enjoyed Durango since the early 1970s. We own a multi-tenant building on Main Avenue, where tenants and residents have a front-row view to events that draw tourists and locals alike.
The advent of the bump-outs and various festivals are fantastic, enriching events that help differentiate our Main Avenue and keep people coming back (and spending money).
However, as we can see from recent events in Red River and other places, a few bad apples can spoil the bunch.
With that in mind, I urge Durango’s leadership to use Red River as cautionary tale as events are permitted, and support local police and sheriffs to continue to discourage bad actors from taking over family-friendly events.
Ensuring Durango remains alluring and thriving means providing a clean, safe and secure environment.
I am sure that Red River’s leadership wishes now that they had not allowed this event to become such a staple of their economy. The negative halo effect on tourism, and in turn, the pain for local business will be felt for many years to come.
Kirsten Cameron
Durango
