On Thursday, May 11, 2023, at 6 p.m. local business owners met at Very Nice Brewing Company for the third preliminary meeting to form the Peak to Peak Chamber of Commerce (P2PCC). Official Chamber members were selected, and the group discussed several ideas to endorse tourism across the Peak to Peak region.

The first order of business was for at least five attendees to the meeting to volunteer to be on the Chamber board. Seven members of the public volunteered, including Amber Cusano, Natalie Duplessy, Barbara Hardt, Zac Heiliger, Judd Kaufman, Tanya Unger, and Christian Vanek. The newly formed Chamber board then decided to defer the selection of officers, from Secretary to President, to their next official meeting.

An interactive online map had been suggested by attendees at the last meeting of the P2PCC as a way to drive tourism and promote travel to all points across the Peak to Peak region. The Chamber continued discussing the creation of the map, which would be hand-illustrated by a local artist and would highlight all the businesses in the area. The idea of having local businesses, such as real estate agencies, sponsor the map was also discussed.

The group continued to suggest ideas as to how to draw tourists to travel and visit different stops on the Peak to Peak highways. Such ideas included a passport system, where patrons could get their “passport” stamped at local businesses for an extra incentive, and a coupon book. They also suggested a gift bag of local items to provide to guests at short-term rentals.

The P2PCC also discussed how to create better accessibility to information for Chamber members and local business owners. Ideas included a GIS map on the P2PCC website, QR codes on any physical versions of the hand-illustrated Peak to Peak map, greater social media presence, creating a local services guide, adding a portal on the website for people to become members, and having Chamber board members also act as ambassadors to specific regions.

On the agenda for the first official meeting of the Chamber board is developing bylaws, and forming a clear process on how to submit ideas, hear vendor proposals, and approve items. It was also suggested that the process for spending Chamber money be well-defined, and that the rules regarding conflicts of interest for Chamber members need to be drafted.

The new board also noted that ideas to be considered regarding how to set regional boundaries and membership cost and guidelines, as well as ideas on how to expand their networking and community building efforts, should be addressed during their initial meeting. Also proposed was hosting monthly social meetings for all P2PCC members for networking, socializing, and informing the group of future efforts. The date of the first social meeting has yet to be set.

The Peak to Peak Chamber of Commerce aims to help grow a better business community and to promote business development through economic programs that can strengthen and expand the income potential of all businesses from Allenspark to Central City and everywhere in between.

The next social meeting of Chamber members will potentially be held in Allenspark, though the place, date, and time have yet to be set. A meeting of the Chamber board has yet to be scheduled, though it will be held virtually, with the date of the meeting to be posted on the Chamber website and on social media in the near future.

For more information go to: https:// www.peaktopeakchamber.org.