ESTES PARK TRAIL-GAZETTE • FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021 • SECTION B
COVID-19 By Wendy Rigby Trail-Gazette
globe, including the U.S. Estes Park felt like a safe have at first. Then the first cases started 2020 was a year that started cropping up in April. with great promise. The news Looking back on this tremenof a novel new disease raging in dously challenging year, it is China seemed like a far away easy to possess a sense of loss. threat. Then, everything Restaurants were shuttered. changed. COVID-19 began rag- Worshipers left the pews. ing in countries across the Rocky Mountain National Park
ONE YEAR LATER
was closed for two months. Popular public events were canceled. In the midst of the chaos and sickness and death, the resiliency of the human spirit became apparent. Neighbors helped neighbors. People who would have otherwise gone hungry were fed. Those who
lost their jobs were boosted by donations from others who were more fortunate. In these pages, the Trail-Gazette is taking a retrospective look at the year that was. We hope you find this historic look back educational. We hope it brings you a sense of what we have all overcome.
Estes Park Trail-Gazette / File photo
This is a 3D rendered model of the Coronavirus entering a cell.
Juggling economic, physical health By Tim Mosier Trail-Gazette
Tim Mosier / Estes Park Trail-Gazette
A group of patrons crowd the streets of Elkhorn Avenue in 2020, some with masks and some without.
in April/May of 2020, The Town of Estes Park, with its partners on the Estes Valley Resiliency Throughout the pandemic, Collaborative, helped 25 busievery state, county, town, city, nesses winterize their outdoor and village in America has been spaces with funding from performing a series of juggling CDOT’s Revitalizing Main Street acts while walking across a tight program. There was $50,000 in rope above a shark tank. And the equipment and/or materials dissharks have lasers attached to tributed to encourage continued their heads. and expanded use of outdoor Trying to balance public health spaces during pandemic restricand safety with economic health tions. and responsibility has been In January of 2021, the Town tougher for some than others, Board approved an Intergovernbut there are few places where mental Agreement with Larimer tourism matters so much to the County regarding administration local economy as it does in Estes of the Colorado Department of Park, making those aforemenLocal Affairs (DOLA) Small Busitioned sharks Megalodons. ness Relief Program. Oh, and don’t forget the state’s Senate Bill 20B-001 was enacttwo largest wildfires in history ed on Dec. 7, 2020 and appropriburning in the backyard for over ated State funding to provide a month. So, the tightrope is on relief to small businesses in tarfire, also. geted industries (restaurants, “2020 has proven to be one of bars, breweries, wineries, distillthe most challenging years in eries, caterers, movie theatres, recent history, creating the need fitness and recreational sports to call upon our community’s centers) impacted by severe most notable strength: resiliencapacity restrictions due to the cy,” said President of the Estes pandemic. Park Economic Development The grant totals $2,203,110 Corporation, Adam Shake. “Our and, per the agreement, the community has not only endured Town expects to be reimbursed business closures, health risks for the total amount disbursed to and social restrictions due to local businesses. COVID-19, but we have survived While the virus is still a part of two of the largest wildfires in our everyday lives, the efficacy Colorado recorded history.” of multiple vaccines gives us Here in town, our businesses hope for a return to normalcy in have complied with and adapted the coming year. The return of to State and County restrictions safe travel and the lowering of placed upon them in efforts to the unemployment rate across slow the spread of the virus. the country should provide a Many have had an extremely more robust tourist season in the rough time but there have been coming months. some great local programs to Sales tax collection revenue for help them survive the slowest the entire state has taken a hit time of the year in Estes. during the pandemic, but not as After providing $300,000 in big of a hit as originally anticipatdirect relief to small businesses See JUGGLING, pg. 6B
Estes Park Health steps up during COVID Financial difficulties impact services
er Dr., providing both locals and visitors to an alternative to the emergency room. During the pandemic, EPH also brought its surgicalist and hospitalist programs in house, instead By Wendy Rigby of using outside physicians. Trail-Gazette While all of this was going on, staff took pay cuts, pay freezes When the pandemic broke out, and paid time off freezes as some Estes Park Health began to feel layoffs occurred. the impact immediately. Surgeries In the meantime, the EPH were canceled. Ambulance workFoundation raised money to help ers had to take precautions. Sevthe hospital fund negative preseral workers caught the virus earsure rooms to treat COVID ly. patients and provide vaccines. The downturn in revenue creatIn January of this year, Estes ed a scenario that was the death Park Health’s first full-scale Comknell for the already-struggling munity Vaccination Clinic served Estes Park Living Center. After several hundred of the valley’s months of debate and attempts to most vulnerable residents. About find alternatives for some other 350 people, age 70 and older, got entity to run the nursing home, it the first dose of the COVID vacclosed for good in March 2021. Wendy Rigby / Estes Park Trail-Gazette cine at the Estes Park Events In the meantime, a new Urgent About 50 hospital employees and community volunteers were involved in pulling off the first major vaccination Complex. Care facility opened at 420 SteamSee EPH, pg. 6B clinic in Estes Park on Jan. 31, 2021.
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