Dear Editor:
Pagosa Springs isn’t Anytown, USA. We have something extraordinary: the San Juan Mountains, the San Juan River, the world’s deepest geothermal hot spring, and an incredible collection of public spaces, recreational opportunities, and community resources woven together in the heart of our town. Our schools are part of that connection.
Generations haven’t simply attended school here; they’ve grown up within a community.
When I first visited with my now-husband in 2008, I fell in love. Although he grew up here, he was hesitant to return to small-town life. Years in larger cities and the arrival of our children changed his perspective. He wanted them to have the childhood he had, and the lifelong friendships that came with it. We wanted less time in the car, living within our community rather than driving through it.
And right now, I get to watch that childhood unfold.
My middle schooler is living his best life right now. He has the freedom to walk from school, grab an ice cream, skate to the skate park, or head to the community center for basketball. His younger brother can meet him after school, and together they can explore.
These aren’t insignificant conveniences. They’re experiences that foster independence, responsibility, competence, friendships, and a sense of belonging. They’re part of learning how to navigate the world, make decisions, and become capable, contributing members of a community.
Isn’t that part of what we’re hoping to accomplish in raising and educating our children?
I struggle to accept that my two youngest might not have those same opportunities.
The relocation proposed under Ballot Measure 5A doesn’t simply change an address. It removes students from this interconnected environment to the outer reaches of our community.
Instead of walking, they’ll depend on buses, schedules, and someone available to drive them. Independence becomes transportation logistics. Spontaneous opportunities become planned activities. Time that could be spent participating in their community becomes time spent getting to it.
And we should ask ourselves what that costs, because not every cost can be measured in construction estimates or tax dollars.
A recent LTE suggested concerns about leaving downtown would soon be forgotten. But we’ll know the difference. Our children will know where the river, parks, and activities are and whether they can reach them on their own.
Our children deserve excellent schools, our teachers deserve modern facilities, and our community should invest in education. But that investment should reflect what we value, not sacrifice something irreplaceable because another option appears easier.
Before voting, I hope you’ll reflect on your own experiences. If you grew up here, imagine your childhood without that downtown connection. If your children grew up here, think about what they enjoyed. If you moved here in search of something different, something beyond the congestion and separation of larger communities, consider what drew you here in the first place.
What kind of childhood do we want future generations to experience? What are those opportunities worth? Once we give them up, we never truly get them back.
Abigail Karas
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