FLOOD05062 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

It Meanwhile, information for the press had to be prepared. One press release was distributed by the Governor's Office on July 23, stating that the proclamation had been signed. A second press release was prepared for July 28 and 29,' stating that the Governor would preside at the July 31 ceremony. In additio~, supporting information on floods and floodplain management in Colorado were prepared to be included in complete press packets. Also, two large maps showing Major Historical Floods in colo~ado and 20 Hazardous Floodplains in Colorado were prepared for d~s- play at the ceremony. The Governor's Office provided help with this phase of the preparations. At the same time, arrangements were made to prepare the park site for the ceremony. Mr. Gary Havener, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Loveland, made arrangements for Mr. Dana Chichester, Mountain Parks Specialist in charge of Viestenz-Smith Park, and his staff to be available for the preparations. They are all to be commended for their beautiful park and for the assistance they provided. The park was ready with a helicopter landing area, a podium area, and an area for ___~efre~!ullEmts._.The_Colo.ra~o 5.:tate_ Patrol, the Depa.r)::IUent of___,. . ' . Highways, and the Larimer County Sheriff's Department assisted with parking and traffic control. With all of the arrangements made ahead of time, and with the good fortune of favorable weather, the stage was set for a successful ceremony. From a long list of invitees, many people came to the ceremony. Among them were: Mr. Courtlyn Hotchkiss, Ms. Nona Thayer, Mr. Jim Lloyd, Larimer County COlllll\issioners Mr. Warren Wollaver, Former Larimer County COlllll\issioner Mr. Harold Kester, Mayor of Loveland Mr. Harry B. Tregent, Mayor of Estes Park Mr. Tom Gleason from ~he Office of U.S. Senator Gary Hart Mrs. Fern Wollaver from the Office of U.S. Congressman Hank Brown Ms. Jean Hubbard of the American Red Cross Mr. John P. Byrne, Director of the Colorado Division of Disaster Emergency Services Mr. Jerry Olson, Director of FEMA's Region VIII Division of Insurance and Mitigation Mr. W. R. Keirnes, representing residents of the Big Thompson Canyon Mr. Dwight Bowers, District Engineer from the Colorado Department of Highways Colorado Representative Ruth Wright Mr.J. William McDonald, Director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, acted as Master of Ceremonies. , Governor Lalllll\ and most of the other speakers echoed the concern that we Coloradans remember the flood ,of five years ago. Governor Lalllll\ also mentioned a few other floods in CoIorado's history. Several speakers stated that until the Big Thompson Flood occurred, they did not concern themselves about such a possibility and they were proved wrong. Governor Lamn\ and the County COlllll\issioners spoke of the work left to be done. In fact, Governor Lalllll\ stated that we were probably in a worse situation now than we were five years ago with regard to floodplain manage- ment. A summary thought was that if we do not do some of the unfinished work of floodplain management throughout Colorado, disasters like the Big Thompson Flood of 1976 and like other flood disasters in the past will happen again. On Friday, the ceremony was covered in the evening and nighttime news on all three network channels in Denver. Radio stations in Denver and other portions of the Front Range covered it. Newspapers __in ~.!:!:__~ov':.~a~.C!-Fort Coll~ns._~reCi _~l~Clc_o~ered . ,-" . ".'" - '. ,". _. ;___,.::;;_:j;i:/-;:~~-;0~~