Driving through the mouth of the Arkansas River into Cañon City feels like stepping into a place that knows exactly what it is. It’s rugged. It’s sunny. It’s got that specific "high desert meets the Rockies" grit. But if you’ve been scrolling through Cañon City CO news lately, you’ve probably noticed that the town is in the middle of a massive identity shift.
Honestly, it's not just about the prisons or the bridge anymore.
Right now, in January 2026, the city is literally being dug up and replotted. If you’ve tried to drive down 9th Street this week, you already know the headache. The city kicked off the 2A North 9th Street Project on January 14th, and it’s a mess—but a necessary one. They are ripping up the corridor between Mystic and Meadows to replace a dinosaur-era concrete box culvert for the Hydraulic Ditch.
The 9th Street Shuffle and Infrastructure Reality
Basically, if you live near Cañon Exploratory School, your morning commute just got complicated. The city has a full closure between Floral and Allison. They’re racing against the clock to get the water flowing for irrigation by April 1st.
Why does this matter? Because for years, residents complained about the "Project 2A" sales tax. Now, the rubber is hitting the road—literally. We're talking full reconstruction, new storm sewers, and sidewalks that don't look like they survived a tectonic shift. The northern project should wrap up by summer, but the southern end is going to be a construction zone until well into the fall of 2026.
It’s loud. It’s dusty. But it’s the price of not having your street turn into a river every time a summer monsoon hits the foothills.
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What's happening with the 150/250 Celebration?
You've probably seen the signs around the Gateway Depot. This year is huge for Colorado, and Fremont County is leaning in hard. Since 2026 marks 150 years of statehood and 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, the local museum is going all out.
There’s a ribbon-cutting on Wednesday, January 21, at the Gateway Depot & Plaza. It’s a freebie. If you’re into local history, you should probably swing by 816 Royal Gorge Blvd around 4:30 p.m.
Speaking of history, the "From Miners to Merchants" exhibit just had its final run. It was a deep look at the Italian families who basically built this town from the mines up. If you missed the January 17th closing, you missed the free cannolis.
The Royal Gorge and the $2.5 Million Boost
People always ask if the bridge is "just for tourists." Kinda, but the newest funding news says otherwise. The Pikes Peak Outdoor Alliance just snagged a $2.5 million grant that covers El Paso, Teller, and Fremont counties.
This is a big deal for local hikers and bikers.
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Becky Leinweber, the head of PPORA, is pushing a "heights of Pikes Peak to the depths of the Royal Gorge" strategy. For us in Cañon City, that means better trail connectivity and a new year-round ambassador program. They’re trying to fix the broken segments of the Ring the Peak trail.
- Grant total: $2.5 million (initial phase)
- Focus: Camping expansion and trail stewardship
- Timeline: 3-year pilot program for ambassadors
Cañon City Schools: Attendance and Tech Upgrades
Over at the School District RE-1 board meetings, things have been surprisingly tech-heavy. Superintendent Adam Hartman just rolled out a new attendance dashboard. It’s not just for record-keeping; it’s a targeted strike against chronic absenteeism.
Currently, about 16% of students in the district hit that "chronically absent" mark. The dashboard lets staff see exactly where the gaps are.
New Courses at CCHS
If you have a kid at Cañon City High School, their elective list looks way different than it did five years ago. The board just approved a bunch of new stuff:
- Aviation and UAS (Drone Technology): Because being a drone pilot is a legit career now.
- Advanced Python: An online coding track for the future software devs.
- Criminology: A concurrent enrollment class that makes sense given our local industry.
They also authorized a $425,000 sale of surplus property to the Sussex Group. That money is likely being funneled back into the energy plan that Scott Morton, the operations director, says will save the district over $6 million in the long run.
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The Lakeside Cemetery Controversy
This is one of those "only in a small town" news stories. The city is officially moving to reclaim about 500 abandoned burial plots at Lakeside Cemetery.
We are talking about plots that are over 100 years old.
If you have family history there, you need to pay attention. If a plot hasn't been used and the owner is nowhere to be found, the city can take it back to resell. You have until March 14, 2026, to tell the City Clerk, Cindy Foster Owens, that you intend to keep a specific site. After that, the abandonment becomes final.
It sounds morbid, but it’s a space issue. Lakeside is 1008 Elm Avenue, and like any old cemetery, it’s running out of room for the living to honor the dead.
What to Watch Next in Fremont County
The Colorado General Assembly just opened its session on January 14. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce is screaming about the 200,000+ regulations holding back local businesses. Keep an eye on how this affects the small shops on Main Street.
Also, the CO Highway 115 project is entering its final design phase this spring. This is the stretch between Cañon City and Florence. It’s notoriously dangerous, and the plan is to widen shoulders and fix the aging pavement. Expect a lot of "Open House" meetings this summer where you can complain about the proposed intersections.
Actionable Insights for Residents:
- Check your commute: 9th Street is going to be a bottleneck through summer 2026. Use Diamond Ave or 4th Street as your north-south bypass.
- Save the dates: The 150/250 celebration kicks off Jan 21. If you want a voice in the Hwy 115 design, your window of influence is between now and the end of spring.
- Cemetery records: If you think your great-great-grandfather bought a block of plots in 1910, email the Cemetery Department at sddavis@canoncity.org before the March deadline.
- School board: Keep an eye on the February 9th meeting at Harrison K-8. They’ll be discussing the budget impact of the new state finance formula, which currently has the district projecting a deficit.