My Own Downtown - David Halter
Ever since competing in Student Congress and Junior Legislature at Rock Springs High School, City Councilman, David Halter, a fourth generation of our community, has always wanted to be active in politics. He graduated in 2002, one year after 9/11, and America was more united than ever.
“Being young, I thought I could make a huge difference,” David said. “I've always worked in government since 2003, so I started to gain experience in how the public sector worked.”
He added, “I became active in party politics around 2006, and finally decided to run for office in 2008.”
David ran for City Council Ward 3 against Glennise Wendorf.
“I lost by hundreds of votes and didn't have a chance,” he explained. “Two years later, I ran a write-in campaign during the primary election, and ended up winning the general election. I've been re-elected twice. I'm halfway through my third term. I'm hoping another young person decides to run for my seat when I finish this term.”
According to David, it is hard to pass up the small businesses and activities in Downtown.
“Downtown Rock Springs has an interesting variety of businesses to visit, and I'm always finding myself needing to go Downtown for something,” he shared.
David was also active in the Broadway Theater renovation during the design phase.
“I feel like a part of me exists in that building,” he expressed.
David has many childhood memories of Downtown.
“When I was a kid, I remember going to see movies at the Rock and Cinema movie theaters on Broadway. I used to get my haircut at the Park Hotel, and check out home movies with my family from the video store on North Front,” he said.
He continued to say, “I went to the Holy Spirit Catholic School, and walked with my class to the C Street Library. I even lived Downtown for a few years near the Rocket Miner.”
Nothing stays the same in Downtown, of course, but David still has a few favorites.
“Today, I frequent Bitter Creek Brewery, Sidekicks, Broadway Burger, and Remedies for lunch or to grab a drink,” he said. “Being on City Council, I also go to City Hall quite often.
Locals and especially, visitors, can’t resist a “cup of Joe” in Downtown.
“Once in awhile I'll get coffee at the Java Peddler and visit my optometrist at Family Vision Clinic.”
With the amount of activity in the Downtown area over the past several years, David hopes that Downtown can keep the momentum.
“Many new businesses are calling Downtown their home, and I know that's a big risk,” David pointed out. “The downtown area is not quickly accessible from any of the highways connecting our City, so advertising efforts to bring traffic into the doors of the businesses is important.”
He concluded by saying, “The downtown area is already beautiful, and continues to become more so. The beautification efforts to bring people to our Downtown need to happen at the gateways into our City.”
…And that’s why Downtown Rock Springs is My Own Downtown.
