Canon city persuasion!!! (Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, Florence: find a job, schools, living in)

[ALMOST2L8]

O.K. Here is my scenario: I have a really good paying job, which I really enjoy!!! I have been offered a raise on the condition that I relocate to one of two places. Canon City, Colorado or La Crosse, Wisconsin. I have been having a difficult time making a decision. I have wanted to move to Colorado for a few years now, and I feel like this is the moment prescisely meant for me. On the other hand my wife would like to stay closer to home. We live close to the Illinois/Iowa border 30 min east of Clinton, Iowa. The decision that we make is by no means threatening to our marriage. She has proclaimed that she will stand by me no matter where we go. At any rate my reason for this thread is persuasion so my question is: Can you persuade me to choose Canon City??? Can you tell me why I should make it my home?? And can you convince me with pics, schools, recreation, or maybe something else??? If you live in Canon City, or make often visits, please feel free to chime in and give me some ideas. Thanks all!!


GOD BLESS!!!
ALMOST2L8

P.S. Not finding too much info about Canon City on very many other threads!!!

[marmac]

I side with your wife.

LaCrosse WI is a nice scenic place and the winters aren't as mean as many other parts of MN or WI.

[jazzlover]

I consider Canon City one of Colorado's nicer communities. Though it is a tourist town, it has not become a hideous overpriced caricature of a community as most other Colorado resort towns have. It also has one of the mildest winter climates in Colorado, though it can get hot there in the summer. There is a lot of nice mountain country fairly close by.

What many people find uncomfortable about Canon City is its primary industry other than tourism: prisons. It is the center of the correctional industry in Colorado, with numerous state correctional facilities in and surrounding Canon City. Just down the road near Florence is the federal Supermax prison, where the most dangerous convicted criminals in the United States are housed. I personally don't object to Canon City's correctional industry--it is a stable employer in a Colorado economy that frequently is anything but stable. Nonetheless, a lot of people do not feel secure living in such an environment.

I would definitely look before leaping. As attractive as Colorado seems to many from afar, and even if they visit as tourists, living here can be a different matter for some. People from the green Midwest may particularly find Colorado's frequently brown (7-9 months per year) environment at its lower elevations (which Canon City is) a little depressing.

[Amy WJ]

Pike's Peak in the background

[ALMOST2L8]

Originally Posted by Amy WJ

Pike's Peak in the background

Awsome pics Amy WJ, I've seen quite a few pictures of Canon City but those were the best, By far!! Thank You. Have you ever lived there or visited?? Are these your pics or did you find them online?? Sorry, I hope I'm not imposing!!


GOD BLESS!!!
ALMOST2L8

[Amy WJ]

Thanks! I took those pics myself on a couple different trips. We own property in the Wet mountains between Canon and Westcliffe and I never get tired of that view! There are so many views to choose from actually..... Must say I envy your predicament. We are planning to move there permanently in 5 years when we can afford to stop working. Between now and then we go out to visit as often as possible. Canon City has its good and bad like any place but the people are friendly and the lifestyle suits us very well. Really all depends on your personal tastes. Agree with Jazz you need to visit and decide for yourself. That's what we did and liked it the best of all places. The more time we spend out there the more we are convinced we made the right decision. I'd give anything to find a job that would pay me well to work in Canon!! I'll attach a winter view from our place......

[Amy WJ]

Plus one of the locals who lets us share his space!

[ALMOST2L8]

Originally Posted by Amy WJ

Plus one of the locals who lets us share his space!

Beautiful pics!!! That kind of scenery is exactly why I want to move there!! I have also not been to Wisconsin either. I'm sure the scenery there is lovely also, but nothing compares to the Rockies. I would love to see as many pics as you have time to post!! Or direct message them to me.


THANK YOU & GOD BLESS!!!
ALMOST2L8

[COflower]

If I were to leave Colorado Springs the two places I would chose are: #1 Grand Junction (I lived there, loved it) and #2 Cañon City.

Cañon City would be #1 if I didn't fall in love with GJ but it's 2nd because it is a small city, less snow, close enough to Colorado Springs for those things I can't live without and also because it's close enough to my family here in Colorado Springs. (My dad is in his early 70s with several health concerns so I prefer to stay close.)

My father and a couple of partners have property down there and every time I go I long to live there. I don't even give second thought to the prisons in the area although I giggle at the signs on Highway 50 to not pick up hitch hikers.

It's clean, small town but still a city in its own right, it can get hot but without humidity - doesn't bother me, the river, friendly people, less snow in the winter and, and...it reminds me of Grand Junction in a way as well in that it also has a lot of agriculture, low snow levels, hot weather but bearable.

So yeah, check it out. Go doing the off season (which is right about now but plenty to do still) and check out where the locals go. You can get some good grub and get to know the people at some of the out of the way restaurants/bar & grills.

[ALMOST2L8]

Originally Posted by COflower

If I were to leave Colorado Springs the two places I would chose are: #1 Grand Junction (I lived there, loved it) and #2 Cañon City.

Cañon City would be #1 if I didn't fall in love with GJ but it's 2nd because it is a small city, less snow, close enough to Colorado Springs for those things I can't live without and also because it's close enough to my family here in Colorado Springs. (My dad is in his early 70s with several health concerns so I prefer to stay close.)

My father and a couple of partners have property down there and every time I go I long to live there. I don't even give second thought to the prisons in the area although I giggle at the signs on Highway 50 to not pick up hitch hikers.

It's clean, small town but still a city in its own right, it can get hot but without humidity - doesn't bother me, the river, friendly people, less snow in the winter and, and...it reminds me of Grand Junction in a way as well in that it also has a lot of agriculture, low snow levels, hot weather but bearable.

So yeah, check it out. Go doing the off season (which is right about now but plenty to do still) and check out where the locals go. You can get some good grub and get to know the people at some of the out of the way restaurants/bar & grills.

Thanks COflower, if we choose Canon city we will not be moving until next year around April or May. I am definately gonna make a visit there before we decide. Great info, I am not at all concerned about the prisons. I'd rather live in a place where the criminals are locked in their cages!!! LOL I'm not sure exactly when we will make our visit but hope to see ya!!!


GOD BLESS!!!
ALMOST2L8