Rags across the River or a Christo artistic expression?

I’ve lived in the Arkansas River Valley for over eight years. Our family has visited the Valley for over 25 years. We come to the Valley because of its natural beauty. River Rafters enjoy the rafting excitement of the river as well as the natural beauty of the area. Anglers enjoy the spring caddis hatch when fly fishing is at its best.

Now after twenty-years Christo a well-known artist is trying once again to produce a new visual art exhibit that covers 42 miles of the Arkansas River with fabric panels. These panels are between .5 to 2.5 miles long stretched across 8 or 9 sections of the river. The project will be in the works for about 28-months.

Those who do not live in the Valley think that this is a fantastic idea.

Why?

Money!

This project includes set up and tear down for about a year. It will create more than 600 jobs and generate more than $121 million for the local and state economy.

Even a local TV show’s reporters are gushing about the project.

I do not agree with hanging fabric over this stretch of the river. First of all, the area is basically through a canyon with small towns along the way. The larger towns are north of the area. This means more traffic congestion along the canyon. Of course river rafters are biting at the chomp to advertise this amazing feat to get more rafters. As for creating 600 jobs, has anyone figured out what would happen once the fabric is covering the river?

There is a reason that this stretch of the river is open and not covered. Fish and wildlife have easy access to the river. Natural grasses and trees need light to grow as well as attract fish and wildlife. The river freezes in the winter time, how long would it take for the river to unfreeze with a fabric covering it?

Also I can just imagine what will happen once the river is covered. Some idiot will try to walk on the fabric or drive a car on it. Or someone may try to express their artistic expression by spray painting the fabric with graffiti. Who will maintain the fabric once it is up? We get high winds along the canyon and I can see pieces of it floating in the river or laying on the road.

For eight years, the citizens in the Valley have said no to the project. Don’t let the cities of Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Denver or Canyon City allow this project to go forward. They won’t have to put up with the consequences of this idiotic expression of art. Keep the Rags across the River out of our beautiful Arkansas River.

Until later,

Linda

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