LYONS – Although Main Street Programs are not a new idea, they are gaining popularity because towns see that the programs can revitalize downtown areas, and merchants find that there is strength in numbers.

Recently Jacque Watson, Lyons economic development and community relations manager, presented some of the ideas behind the Main Street Program to the town board. A meeting to explain the concepts behind the Main Street Program will be held from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on October 27 at the town hall. The meeting is open to the public, merchants and all interested parties. An earlier meeting for stakeholders which includes downtown property owners, merchants, vendors and business people in the downtown area will be held from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on October 27 at the town hall.

… Lyons has been trying to fund this project for several years but it was put on hold several times and it began to grow in size. Originally the Colorado Department of Transportation, CDOT, was going to pave Main Street as part of it paving project that began at the intersection of Colorado Highway 66 and U.S. Highway 36 and went west past Lyons.

Members of the Ann Ripley’s Not So Serious Art Group are a rather shy group of people who would hesitate to call themselves artists. The group gathers on Monday mornings to paint, draw, sketch or just have coffee and enjoy some of Ripley’s ginger bread with whipped cream.