Telluride and Real Estate Blog

County Commissioners sign agreement for financial support, along with Telluride and Mountain Village

Article by Sophie Stuber, Telluride Daily Planet Contributor - March 11, 2025

A rendering of the new youth hangout in Telluride, opening in April. (Image courtesy of Town of Telluride)

After a few delays, youth in San Miguel County will have a spot to call their own in Telluride this spring. The “Youth Hangout” is having its grand opening in April after spring break.

The goal is to provide a safe, inclusive and substance-free space for local kids to hang out, Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. (and 9 p.m. in the summer). The Youth Hangout is open to anyone aged 18 or under residing within the Telluride R-1 School District boundaries, regardless of school enrollment status (public, private, or homeschooled). The space will also offer a place for kids to connect with nonprofits and other services.

The San Miguel County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for financial support for the youth hangout at a BOCC meeting on March 5, joining the towns of Telluride and Mountain Village.

“We, as the three governments, came together to really bring this document to you today with a lot of input from all of us,” Telluride town manager Zoe Dohnal said during the meeting.

In 2023, the Town of Telluride decided to transform the Shed — a 700-square-foot space next to the post office in the Voodoo development project — into a youth hangout. The Young Hangout is in a zone where local youth often hang out, and with its central location, it is easily accessible by foot, bike and car.

The property had initially been intended to be used for a commercial lease, but will now serve the community’s young people.

“We are waiving the rent of the space, so we are taking on that additional subsidy burden from the town of Telluride,” Dohnal said.

Renovations to the space cost about $251,000, which the towns of Mountain Village and Telluride and San Miguel County split evenly.

“In 2025 we're finally to the finish line. So we are there with the capital improvements for the space. The construction is ready to go. We have the final numbers for what the cost of this improvement space will be,” Dohnal said.

Communities That Care (CTC) — a non-profit under Tri-County Health Network (TCHN) — will oversee programming and operations in the hangout, in collaboration with more than 10 youth-focused nonprofit organizations. The Shed’s partners are True North, One to One Mentoring, Dean’s List, San Miguel Resource Center and Telluride GSA.

CTC estimates that annual operating and programming costs will be around $74,000 for 2025, which Mountain Village, Telluride and San Miguel County will also share equally.

“We are continuing to look for grant funding and even some other donation potentials,” Dohnal added.

During the meeting, County Commissioner Anne Brown emphasized the need to reach out to the Telluride Mountain School and local homeschooling groups as well as students living in Norwood and Wright’s Mesa to ensure that all local youth know they’re welcome in the space and can provide input on their needs.

“If you start out being super inclusive, then it’s more likely that everybody will feel comfortable there.”

Many local parents and family members have expressed support for the project.

“As a Mountain Village resident and parent of two middle school aged children, I can attest to a strong need for a safe, healthy location for teens in our community to spend time. The creation of the Shed is that opportunity, and I hope you will support funding this now and into the future. We need to do more to support our youthful residents in MV and the region, and this is a great start,” Elaine Giuliani wrote in an email to the Mountain Village Town Council.

Community members have been working to develop a place for local youth for more than 25 years, and the need for such a space appears to have grown in recent years. The 2023 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey results highlighted some concerning trends in the Telluride region, including higher-than-average bullying rates — particularly for high school students, women and girls, and LGBTQ+ youth. Mental health challenges, including suicidal ideation, have risen since 2017, notably among Hispanic and Latinx middle school students. At the same time, substance use rates for binge drinking, marijuana and tobacco significantly exceed state averages.

A dedicated youth space will help address some of these challenges by offering a homebase with summer activities and after-school programs, including workshops, tutoring, mentoring, mental health therapy sessions and youth engagement projects.

“Youth in our community have been asking for a space for so long, and I get a little emotional,” CTC mobilizer Dawn Katz said. “CTC really looks forward to partnering with the three of you. We couldn't do this alone and are just so honored to be a part of it.”

To read the full Telluride Daily Planet article please click this link.