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community newspaper
Volume 16, Number 51 | February 6-12, 2025
SUNDAY
MONDAY
Carbondale Arts Fashion Show director Amy Kimberly and models strut the runway in preparation for “Camera Obscura’” this coming March 6-8, showcasing the creative visions of 28 talented clothing designers.
Volunteers at the Lift-Up pantry in Carbondale organize food and supplies, ready to provide essential assistance and support to community members in need.
The Third Street Center: a building that builds community Seven days a week for 15 years
MONDAY Defying gravity — Sopris Soarers aerial silks dancers perfect their stunts utilizing the Center’s I-beam structure ahead of their February First Friday performance.
TUESDAY Building the future, one robot at a time, Aspen Science Center’s robotics program teaches kids ages 1013 critical skills every Tuesday, preparing them for competition-level challenges.
Creating an inviting space for collaboration and community solutions has been the hallmark of the Third Street Center as it marks 15 years of service in Carbondale. With its 45,000-square-foot facility serving as the physical foundation for collaboration, the Third Street Center is currently home to a diverse collection of 36 organizations and has served over 70 since 2010. “We like to think of ourselves as incubators of great ideas and solutions that make our community and region better,” said Executive Director Colin Laird. Laird likened the Center, which is a multitenant and mixed-use facility, to other vital public spaces where people can engage and celebrate together in a context that is both flexible and inexpensive. The Center prioritizes allocation of its limited long-term rental space toward nonprofit organizations, which benefit from the extra support. Third Street provides rentals for under half the market rate of commercial spaces in town. “That was the idea: Let’s create a more affordable foundation for all kinds of great organizations that are doing great work in our community so they are not spending a fortune on rent,” Laird said. “We did that and it has worked. And it’s more valuable now,” compared with 15 years ago.
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
Musician-teachers from the Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra practice for a January concert in Aspen.
Artists of the Alaprima Painters group get together every Thursday to paint and critique each other’s work, inspiring friendships and camaraderie. Alaprima, which means “first stroke,” has been around for over a decade and is hosted in the True Rivers Unitarian Universalist office space.
The building was originally Carbondale’s elementary school, which opened in 1961. It was repurposed in June of 2010 after the elementary school built a new building on Snowmass Drive. Laird attributed the Center’s success in part to the welcoming and nurturing environment of Carbondale which fosters opportunities for collaboration between organizations and residents. continued on page 7
SATURDAY Sandra Prado, founder and instructor of the Aspen Polynesia dance group, leads the practice for their show “Rhythms of Tahiti” at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen on March 2. They will showcase traditional dancing, drumming and live music featuring the rich cultural heritage of the islands.
FRIDAY Members of the Community Tai Chi group flow into their moves to promote health and well-being. Sponsored by The Center for Human Flourishing, members take part in the ancient Chinese practice known for bettering balance and meditation.
Photos and story by Romina Cabrera