Glen Haven General Store Owners Determined To Reopen After Flood
GLEN HAVEN, Colo. (CBS4) - With the spring thaw in sight many communities hit hard by last September's floods are worried about a heavier than usual runoff. One of those communities is Glen Haven, located between Estes Park and Fort Collins.
The town was nearly washed away last fall and now with the spring runoff looming, one long standing general store and its owners are at risk.
Before crews could start making repairs Steve and Becky Childs hauled three feet of dirt out of the Glen Haven General Store.
Becky's family has owned the store for more than three decades. Today it looks a lot better than it did on Friday, Sept. 13.
"It was a long six months, but I'm thrilled now that we are moving forward, looks great, smells good," she said.
At nearly 100 years old, the General Store is one of just a few structures to survive last fall's floods and the Childs' are determined to reopen.
"I guess (Glen Haven) is ours to make," Steve said. "I'm not sure what the future will hold except for optimism and rebuilding for quite a while."
In addition to optimism, the future holds uncertainty. With higher than average snow pack this season, spring runoff could cause another flood.
"The river's come up quite a bit already. It's about double what it was last week," Becky said.
Larimer County plans to shore up banks, including the small space left between the General Store and the West Creek's new course.
"If it doesn't get taken care of pretty quick, there's a good possibility spring runoff will cause additional problems," Steve said.
"It's not a deterrent though, we'll move ahead no matter what," Becky said.
Becky set a goal to open for the store's 34th season by June 1.
"This has always been the center of town and I think it's important to the people who grew up here, now bring their grandchildren here, that it always remains," she said.
The plan to prevent future flooding includes a partnership between Larimer County and the National Resource Conservation Service. They want to push the stream back to its original location and hope to start that work later this week.
Colorado Floods: How To Help
The recent floods are impacting families and communities throughout Colorado, so CBS4 has compiled a list of ways you can support the local communities impacted by the floods.
More September Flooding Stories
