Community Rallies Around Old Town Timnath

Dozens of Residents and Business Owners Gather for Organizing Meeting

More than 40 Timnath residents and business owners gathered Thursday, July 21 for what they are calling a community organizing meeting for Old Town Timnath. Concerns about town governance and small-business development drew the most votes in an informal poll of top concerns.

The group convened after resident Brian Kurth hung flyers around town and went door to door building interest. “Everyone I talked to wants to see Old Town prosper, and yet there is a pervasive sense that it’s not a high priority for Timnath Town Council, at least not yet,” said Kurth. “We’re concerned the historic heart of our rapidly growing community could be lost forever if town officials continue to focus almost exclusively on national chains and suburban-style housing developments.”

Timnath is one of the fastest-growing communities in Colorado. The population has swelled from 625 in 2010 to 6,487 in 2020 and is close to 8,000 now, according to U.S. census data. The median household income was $137,333 in 2020.

The group met at the historic Colorado Feed & Grain Public Market, one of a handful of businesses on Timnath’s Main Street. Proprietor Becca Bay said she welcomes this attempt to build community and create a voice for Old Town businesses and residents. “You can feel the potential for Old Town Timnath buzzing. It can return to its roots as a cultural hub for our community, filled with dining, shopping and events.”

Officially, town planners agree. Timnath’s comprehensive plan, adopted in 2020, envisions a “first-rate small town” with an “unparalleled Old Town…that cultivates local historic pride, social connections, and economic vitality.” When town officials surveyed residents about what they would like to improve about Timnath, “Old Town” was the runaway leader. Nothing came close, according to the plan.

“A town without a thriving center is sprawl, and nobody wants that,” said Wade Fickler, who facilitated the meeting. “The gravitational pull needs to return to Old Town. Otherwise, the town’s historic center will forever be overshadowed by development along I-25 and the Harmony Road corridor.”

The group plans to meet again at 6:30 pm on August 18 at the Colorado Feed & Grain Public Market before bringing their concerns to Timnath’s town council. Contact Brian Kurth at [email protected] for more information.