Our View: New events should be considered

While deep snow and frigid weather hasn’t been a huge problem for the residents of Green River, the winter season still gives some sun worshipers a case of cabin fever.

While thinking about the fun in the sun awaiting us in the new year, we started to think about local events that could be a fun diversion if someone were to host them.

We’ve written about this one before, but we believe a day commemorating trona and its importance to the community would be a great way to spend an afternoon at the Mining Memorial Park near the Green River Visitors Center. It wouldn’t have to be big, but a public picnic with a chance or two to tour local mine facilities would be a fun afternoon.

The world’s largest underground trona mine in the world is located in Green River’s back yard and trona is something that provides a high standard of living for many of Sweetwater County’s residents. Why we don’t have a day celebrating it seems strange at the very least.

On that line of thought however, why isn’t there a day celebrating the railroad? Almost every town in Sweetwater County owes its existence to the Union Pacific Rail Road. Green River, Rock Springs, Superior, Reliance, Dines, Winton and others all were founded to fuel the railroad.

Coal from Sweetwater County was so important to Union Pacific that the headquarters for its coal company was located in Rock Springs.

A public celebration could focus on both the railroad and coal and give residents a chance to spend an afternoon at Centennial Park.

A third idea and one that isn’t focused on local industry, would focus on John Wesley Powell’s trip down the Green River. It could be a historically-focused event, but with some fun, possibly river-based activities taking place as well. It could get wrapped into the Green River Chamber of Commerce’s River Festival as well, extending the Friday and Saturday River Festival into a third day.

Our dreams of summer fun doesn’t mean we’re ignoring some of the upcoming fun in the next couple of months. The Crystal Classic Ice Show always impresses residents with its ice sculpting competitions and other fun events, for example.

However, it would be nice to squeeze a few more fun days into the crowded summer schedule. After all, there are some years where the summer seems painfully short in comparison to the long winter.

Best take advantage of it if we can.