Expanded Community Services Through Housing and Transportation

Green Drinks Durango will have its second gathering of the year, Thursday, March 28th, with a lineup of almost 30 different organizations hosting throughout the year. La Plata Open Space Conservancy announced it has received accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, joining a network of more than 450 Land Trust organizations across the nation. The city of Durango and Twin Buttes have announced the development of 30 affordable and attainable housing units on the former Animas High School site. And DurangGO! Microtransit has begun expanded hours this week. You're watching the local News Roundup, brought to you by Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, and the payroll department. I'm Sadie Smith. Durango Green Drinks has returned for 2024. The monthly gathering held the last Thursday of each month at 11th Street Station offers a space for community members and organizations to network, gather and learn about sustainability efforts in the area. Last month's gathering was hosted by the city of Durango Sustainability Office, Southwest Conservation Corps, and the Durango chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby. This year's hosting calendar, boasts nearly 30 local sustainability related organizers with three new hosts every month. Durango Green Drinks is a chapter of Green Drinks International, which was founded in London in 1989, and takes place in over 700 places internationally. The next Durango Green drinks will be March 28th, hosted by the wildfire adopted partnership, Durango Farmers Market in Turtle Lake Refuge, La Plata Open Space Conservancy announced it has received accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. The recognition means LPOSC joins a network of over 450 land trusts across the nation, striving towards land conservation. The accreditation is a mark of distinction for programs that meet a rigorous standard of sound finances, ethical conduct, responsible governance, and programs that continuously strive for improvement. Executive director Adrian Dorsey, said, "Accreditation demonstrates LPOSC's commitment "to permanent land conservation in Southwest Colorado. "We are a stronger organization for having gone "through the rigorous accreditation program. "Our strength means that the land "and waterways that make Southwest Colorado "so special will remain forever." At the March 5th City Council meeting, the Durango City Council voted to approve an agreement for affordable housing development in Twin Buttes. The Twin Buttes Housing Compliancy agreement is the development of 30 affordable and attainable housing units, At 271 Twin Butte Drive, the site of the former Animas High School. Under the agreement, T win Buttes of Durango Incorporated will donate approximately 3.3 acres of shovel-ready land, and will work with the city of Durango and the developer for the housing units. On March 8th, the city announced Elevation Community Land Trust and Fading West as partner developers and designers for the project, which will also include improvements to the Lightner Creek Trail to turn it into a concrete multipurpose path. The units when completed will be for households earning 70 to 120% of area median income. Since the introduction of the on-demand, DuranGO! Microtransit in October, 2023, Durango Transit has seen a steady increase in on-demand ridership every month. The increase reflects overall increase in Durango Transit ridership, which has been steadily growing for 31 consecutive months. Due to the success of the on-demand Durango Curb-to-Curb Service, as of March 11th, the service hours have increased from 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM to 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM seven days a week. Download the DuranGO! Microtransit app to schedule your ride today. Learn more about these and other stories online at durangolocal.ews. Thank you for watching this edition of the Local News Roundup. I'm Sadie Smith.