Cañon City weighs scaled-back options for Clock Tower Plaza; public restrooms and green space on table

The Chair reviewed the history of Clock Tower Plaza: the original plan included restrooms, pop-up kiosks, a stage and other elements, but rising costs meant the council did not approve a proposed $600,000 city match. The Chair said the Dola grant remains valid through summer 2027 and staff will ask Dola which elements could still be supported and will prepare a rough resurfacing cost estimate.

Committee members proposed several paths forward: (1) repave and restripe the lot to make it more attractive and functional, (2) implement partial elements from the master plan (restrooms, sunshades) that Dola might fund, or (3) an interim landscape/green-space solution to reduce heat and activate the area. Participants emphasized gathering public input – the Chair will ask staff to add a green-space option and a scaled-back alternative (restrooms, sunshade) to the ongoing survey.

Public restrooms attracted particular attention: members noted accessibility benefits for disabled residents and visitors but raised past vandalism and maintenance costs. One long-serving committee member described prior vandalism that rendered retrofitted time-lock mechanisms ineffective and recounted finding hazardous waste in restroom locations. The group discussed controlled access (time locks, monitored hours), staffing or attendants during events, and piloting solutions rather than full permanent installations. The committee scheduled a site visit at Macon Plaza and a public-restroom "think-tank" session for the week of July 6 (target July 8) to develop options and invite nearby property owners and stakeholders.