Mesa/ Mesa Community Center History
1776
The Dominguez-Escalante Expedition travels through Plateau Valley looking for an overland route from Santa Fe, NM to Monterey, CA.
1861
Colorado Territory is established with present day Colorado boundaries. Present day Mesa County is designated as Indian Territory.
1876
Colorado becomes a state.
1879
Conflict between Ute tribes and Nathan Meeker result in hostages being taken. Captives returned after 23 days at the Meeker Tree in Mesa (present day property of Pat and Bill Beiser.)
1881
Ute’s moved to reservations in Utah. White settlers arrive in Mesa County area.
1881
First settlers in area establish homestead in the Meadows (now Vega reservoir).
1882
First settlers in Mesa (John Brown). Fred Long, first child born in Mesa.
1883
Mesa County established.
1900
Mesa Methodist Church built.
1936
Old Mesa Gymnasium built by WPA. Lower level used as a kitchen for school lunches.
1940
Custom built cabinet in Old Gym for piano
1950's
Mesa High School closes. Students attend high school in Collbran
1960's
Mesa elementary closes and merges with Collbran schools to form Plateau Valley School.
1960-1980
Old Mesa School serves as community center with flea market.
1983
New Mesa Community Center built.
1980's
Mesa community held big 4th of July event with fireworks, greased pig events, cakewalks, etc. Color Sunday dinner an annual tradition, moved from Methodist Church ladies to Mesa Community Center. Community members would bring desserts and a committee would prepare the turkey, stuffing, etc. Funds raised were used by the MCC to pay the utilities and keep the building functioning for the community. Every Labor Day there was an auction at the Old Gym sponsored by the VFW.
~1985
In approximately 1985 the Old School torn down. Unsafe structure.
1986
Mesa Community Club officially incorporated with Colorado Secretary of State. Officers: Pres. Cheryl Adam, VP David Grubbs, Officers: Rick Marshall, Deese & David Dancy, Tom and Loretta Kachin, Kathy Harris. During this time the MCC was used for many functions. There were adult volleyball and basketball teams, girl scouts and boy scouts meetings, peewee basketball, … Keys were kept at the Wagon Wheel and community members could sign the keys in and out on an honor system.
1995
MCC New Officers
Harold Harvey
Dennis Bevan
Colleen Jandreau
David Grubbs
Tammy Himes
Chan Edmonds
Cheryl Adams
Mid 1990's
The Mesa Community Center, old school and old gym were officially property of the Plateau Valley Schools. At some point, it reverted to official ownership of the Mesa County.
1997
MCC New Officers
Harold Harvey
Colleen Jandreau
David Grubbs
Tammy Himes
Chan Edmonds
Cheryl Adams
Cheryl Salter
1998
Bench and arbor built in honor of Cheryl Adams who passed away after a long battle with breast cancer in 1997.
1999
MCC New Officers
Lisa DelPiccolo
Sarah Hutchinson
Debbie Bumguardner
Gary Fraley
Fred Boyle
Laura Langdoc
1999
The old gym had been rented by Powderhorn for storage for years. When Powderhorn was sold, the stored items were cleared out. The building was in disrepair and a committee was established to see if it could be restored. We looked into its history, received a grant for an historic assessment and made a formal request to the county for historic designation. The county was reluctant to pursue historic designation because of the restrictions. They committed to stabilize the structure.
2000-2003
MCC New Officers
Sharon Metzger-Galloway Registered Agent
Shirley Kelley
Gary Fraley
Helen Steuben
Donna Clark
Carol Martin
Lee Byram
Joann Taylor
Tracey Holmes
Eric Bruton
Beverly Duzenack
2001
Funding for the MCC was always a challenge. Our efforts to keep the doors open, the lights and heat on, to clean and provide for community needs did not keep up with the member dues, rental income and the Color Sunday Dinner proceeds.
While meeting with the county folks to discuss funding for repairing the old gym, one of the staffers suggested creating a Public Improvement District (PID). With the help of the Mesa County staff and commissioners, we established boundaries (used the same boundaries of the Mesa/Molina Cemetery District.) wrote up the ballot
language and collected signatures to get the measure on the ballot. The ballot measures (to form the PID and to override TABOR restrictions) passed in November 2001.
Petition for formation of County Public Improvement district Pursuant to
C.R.C. 30-20-501
Description of the improvements to be constructed, installed, acquired, operated or maintained: Improvement of the Mesa Community Center which
would include improvements to the park and the old Mesa Gym.
Descriptions of the services to be provided: Operational services such as utilities, ground maintenance, cleaning, social functions and maintaining the facility for use.
November 6, 2001 Ballot
Mesa Community Center 1159 District Referred Measure 1B
Shall the Mesa Community Center Public Improvement District be formed to provide operational services and improvements to the Mesa Community Center, consistent with the petition for formation of the of the District
Mesa Community Center 1159 District Revenue and Spending Issue Referred Measure 1C
Tabor Override language
November 26, 2001 Mesa County Board of Commissioners Meeting:
ADOPTING A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE MESA COMMUNITY CENTER
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT FUND.
Presenter: Marcia Arnhold, Finance Director
On November 13, 2001, the Mesa Community Center Public Improvement District was established in Mesa County pursuant to a vote of the registered electors of that district.
The Board of Mesa County Commissioners desires to establish a special revenue fund for the Mesa Community Center known as the Mesa Community Center Public
Improvement District Fund. Revenue and expenditures in the fund shall be limited to use for operational services and improvements for the Mesa Community Club. JAMES R. BAUGHMAN MOVED, DORALYN B. GENOVA SECONDED, AND THE
MOTION UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE MESA COMMUNITY CENTER PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT FUND, PURSUANT TO COLORADO REVISED STATUTE 30-20-510, AND AUTHORIZE THE CHAIR TO SIGN. (Resolution on file at the Mesa County Clerk's Office, Resolution File No. MCM 2001-170.) http://www.mesacounty.us/commissioners/template.aspx?id=2903
2001: MCC PID
2001: MCC PID: The establishment of the PID provided 1 mil tax levy for the
operation of the Mesa Community Center. The intent was that these funds would provide for social functions, utilities, cleaning services, purchase of equipment and supplies (tables, chairs, consumable supplies,) and exterior maintenance such as
lawn mowing and snow removal. Mesa County would continue to provide building maintenance, the mechanical systems (sprinkler system, furnace, pumps) as well as
major maintenance (stripping and refinishing the floors, roof repairs, gutters, and parking lot surfaces). The Mesa Community Club would have the responsibility of running the facility and the funding source would be the MCC PID. As needed, the
Mesa Community Club would notify Mesa County Facilities department of any issues needing immediate attention, and scheduled projects would be put on the County’s list of work.
With the relief of fund raising off the shoulders of the MCC board, the Color Sunday responsibility and income was offered to the Plateau Valley 4 H, and thus kept the
tradition alive.
Mid-2000's
Mid-2000’s: The Old Gymnasium was stabilized with upgraded foundation, redesigned interior roof structure, drywall, new windows and doors. The original floors were kept as is. Much of the other interior ‘historic’ character was erased (diagonal walls covered up, the stage was removed, and storage closet and piano was gone), but the building was more suitable for use and potential rental. The Mesa Community Center Park was constructed with new playground facilities, a gazebo and upgraded sidewalks. The outdoor restrooms were constructed in approximately 2010.
