The Gateway Depot & Plaza in Cañon City, Colorado, a building that once served as a train station and later as a bank, has taken on a new role. The historic structure now serves as the headquarters for the Royal Gorge Chamber Alliance and is fully powered by solar energy through a partnership with Black Hills Energy.
Rich Millard, Executive Director of the Royal Gorge Chamber Alliance, provided some background on the site: “It was originally built in 1909 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad,” he said. “When they discontinued service, it was purchased by Canyon National Bank, and after a series of bank ownership changes, the last bank to own the depot was San Luis Valley Federal Bank.”
The restoration of the building included an initiative to make it more sustainable. Through Black Hills Energy’s community solar garden program, clean energy is made available to income-qualified customers and nonprofit organizations in Southern Colorado. As part of this program, Black Hills Energy donates part of its community solar gardens’ subscription value to help reduce electricity costs for those groups. The first participants began receiving credits in March 2025; this includes 125 Black Hills Energy customers enrolled in or waiting for acceptance into the Black Hills Energy Affordability Program (BHEAP), along with three nonprofit organizations.
One beneficiary is the Royal Gorge Chamber Alliance itself. As a result of this partnership, all electricity used at Gateway Depot & Plaza comes from solar power.
“We’re pleased to deliver a program that offers real cost savings for Southern Colorado customers enrolled in or on the waitlist for BHEAP and nonprofit organizations in Southern Colorado, that also helps us meet our renewable energy goals,” said Devin Moeller, senior program manager at Black Hills Energy. “By donating energy produced at our community solar gardens, we can significantly reduce electricity costs for customers, allowing those savings to be redirected for other uses. As more solar gardens are brought online, we plan to expand the program to all BHEAP-eligible customers.”
“Black Hills Energy has been a great partner,” Millard said. “This program allowed us to take a 100-year-old building and make it a model for sustainability — without compromising its historic character.”
The collaboration demonstrates how historic preservation can align with modern sustainability efforts. Many older buildings have features such as thick masonry walls that help regulate temperature efficiently. By utilizing solar power from community gardens, structures like Gateway Depot can continue serving their communities while adapting to environmental needs.
Millard added: “The goal was always to make this more than just an office building. We wanted a place where people could experience the heart of Cañon City.”
Inside Gateway Depot & Plaza are exhibits detailing local history alongside displays about renewable energy’s impact on shaping the region’s future.
As Cañon City grows and changes, leaders hope projects like this will serve as examples of blending tradition with innovation.
