CAÑON CITY, Colo. — The Royal Gorge Chamber Alliance has purchased the former Denver & Rio Grande Western depot in Cañon City and plans to make it “a hub serving businesses, residents, and tourists.”
The 1909 structure is located at 816 Royal Gorge Blvd., the intersection of U.S. Route 50 and State Route 115.
“We are excited about the opportunities the depot presents to our community,” Rich Millard, CEO of the Chamber Alliance, said in a press release. “The Chamber is dedicated to reviving the depot and transforming it into a one- of-a-kind facility to serve businesses and individuals. We thank our investors to date and look forward to sharing more details in the new year.”
The Chamber says it is involved in “an intensive strategic planning process” and seeking input from businesses and residents on the building’s future, and that the purchase “safeguards the depot’s use as a civic asset and lays the groundwork for a project that will benefit everyone.”
The structure is one of two preserved stations in Cañon City. A former Santa Fe station dating to 1913, located less than a half-mile from the Rio Grande depot, is home of the Royal Gorge Route heritage railway.
