Letter: Try a creative approach in Basalt

Try a creative approach in Basalt

I am not sure who the city of Basalt hired to figure out how to develop its plot of land, but I honestly think it should have picked a more creative group. Sure, it really is all about the money and the tax base and bottom line, but it is also about quality of life and getting more people to old downtown Basalt in a thoughtful way. I was racking my rather small and limited mind for two whole days and think I have an answer that could be flexible enough to be added or subtracted to and from.

My thought is this: Why not have the Rocky Mountain Institute in the middle? On one side you could build a really small fish hatchery and aquarium. On the other side you could build solar-panel structures and plug-ins also on alternating current. What you do next is buy a small fleet of Nissan Leafs or something like that as rental cars. The same company also can rent out electric bicycles and regular bikes. On the same side, you can have a few affordable lots for food carts or trucks and a small deck for live music.

It would be a cultural center but one that attracts and educates a lot of people. Plus it could be a moneymaker in a positive, clean and helpful way. A little bit of creativity and an outside-the-condo-box idea could go a long way. If Basalt went for a route more like that, it would have something very special in the Roaring Fork Valley that no one else has. That would be the key.

Miles Knudson

Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Lubbock, Texas