[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Pages 4642-4643]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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               100TH ANNIVERSARY OF WESTMINSTER, COLORADO

 Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 100th 
anniversary of the city of Westminster that lies along Colorado's Front 
Range. The city of Westminster will observe this significant milestone 
on April 4, 2011.
  Westminster is the seventh most populous city in the State of 
Colorado. It has had a rich history since the first homesteaders 
arrived in 1870, shortly after the discovery of gold in the South 
Platte River Valley. The Land Act of 1862 encouraged many settlers to 
make Colorado their home instead of heading on to California.
  The population of the town gradually increased over several decades, 
and by 1910, public services such as water access were needed to 
support the community. The village of Harris, named after C.J. Harris, 
was incorporated as the town of Westminster, CO, on April 4, 1911, by a 
citizen vote of 29 in favor and 6 opposed. The town was named for 
Westminster University, which was built in the 1890s on Crown Point.
  The town of Westminster continued to grow and soon became the center 
for some of the largest apple and cherry orchards in the country. 
Northwest of Denver, Westminster remained a quiet rural town until the 
1950s when the Colorado State Highway Department constructed the 
Denver-Boulder Turnpike, bisecting Westminster and contributing to the 
town's growth.
  A 21-member charter Westminster convention was elected to draft and 
review a new charter, which was approved by voters in January of 1958.
  Providing a safe and adequate water supply has been at the forefront 
of Westminster's growth since incorporation. The town took a proactive 
approach to dealing with the community's rapid growth by creating the 
Growth Management Plan in 1977 that called for allocating service 
commitments as a method to manage water and other key resources.
  Westminster has balanced growth with the establishment of an open 
space program. In 1986, the town sought to implement this approach and 
preserve and protect natural areas and beautiful vistas that contribute 
to the unique character of the city. Today, 32 percent of its land is 
open space and green space and the town has created more than 83 miles 
of multi-use trails.
  Westminster's first 100 years are rich in history with monumental 
milestones that have made it the community it is today. I want to 
congratulate the city of Westminster as it celebrates its centennial 
anniversary. I look forward to helping Westminster continue to thrive 
as it sets out to make history in the next 100 years.

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