Christo Art Approved

The huge Christo art project was approved late Monday morning by the federal government. The Over The River project will begin construction in 2012 to be displayed for two weeks in August 2014.

The 50 million dollar project will include eight huge fabric panel segments totaling 5.9 miles within a 42 mile stretch of the Arkansas River in Colorado. Christo will foot the bill for the project. It’s expected to generate 121 million dollars into the economy.

The coffee and lunch talk at the 16th Street Cafe in Canon City was all positive about the art project. Owner Arlene Hanson told me she hopes Canon City will get its moment in the sun because of the tourists who will come to the area to see the art. Others agreed that the Christo project should be able to live up to its billing to pump dollars into the economy.

Not everyone is jazzed about the Christo project. I learned that some in Canon City had been wearing T-Shirts showing they’re upset about the Christo art. Some worried about the effect it will have on fishing. Others also questioned the validity of the art, itself.

However, the feds gave the Christo art a green light and it will be up by 2014.