Nathan Rodriguez, nrodriguez@vailtrail.com
July 23, 2008

Georgetta Stevens has lived in the Vail Valley her entire life.

She was born in Leadville and grew up in Red Cliff, and, over the years, has witnessed Vail and the surrounding communities grow to accommodate newcomers. Stevens works in customer service at the Vail Athletic Club, and was kind enough to take a few minutes to talk about how the area used to be, how it is, and how it could be.

Being born in Leadville and raised in Red Cliff, how has the area changed?
It’s changed dramatically. Red Cliff isn’t a family-oriented town anymore. When we were growing up, there were 30 or 40 kids running around town. Everyone knew each other and looked out for one another. If someone got in trouble, your parents knew immediately. Now there are only about 10 kids in town, if that. And a lot of the older people have sold their homes, passed on or moved away because the winters are so long and so hard for them.

What made you stay in Red Cliff?
I’m fortunate that I own a piece of property, and I can afford to live here. I also have a grandmother who lives with us, and she’s been here since 1945.

What changes have you noticed in Vail over the years?
The growth in Vail is tremendous. It’s not at all what it used to be like — the buildings are too big. Now it looks like a little city instead of a little ski town. They’re having a tough time finding employees for the area, and even if they do work here, there’s no parking or employees can’t find a place to park.

What do you think Red Cliff will look like in another 10 years or so?
If the water treatment facility and everything gets put in, and Mr. Ginn (developer of a private ski resort planned for Battle Mountain, just outside Red Cliff) does his development, then we’ll get some more residents. But if he doesn’t, who knows what will happen? Right now, there’s just no businesses or money coming into town. It’s kind of sad, we’ve been here forever, and just have all these problems. The town seems to always be in debt and unable to get out.

Do you see any benefits to development?
Change is good. We have to remain open-minded, and hopefully everything will work out for the best. Red Cliff does need something, but I’m not sure what it needs for the future. I’d like to live here the rest of my life, but not if it’s unaffordable.