Out of the rubble of the rampage, the town of Granby — its image bruised and battered — emerged stronger than before.

Those affected by the traumatic destruction expressed that in hindsight, it brought about a revitalization. It didn’t take long for the community to regroup and start taking action to rebuild. However, it did take years after the bulldozer attack in 2004 for the town to become what it is today: a bustling main street with well-constructed buildings. 

The Granby library is a shining example of the town’s revitalization — a beautiful building that the community appreciates and uses for a variety of services. In fact, the architects of the new library received an award of merit for the design. 

Granby librarian Tess Riley said that immediately after the attack, Library Director Mary Anne Wilcox and volunteers stepped up to ensure the library kept running. The attack happened on a Friday. By the following Monday, patrons could use library computers and check out children’s books at a temporary location in Granby Elementary’s library. 

In a stroke of amazing fortune, a retired woman whose former job was disaster mitigation for libraries lived in Grand County.  

“Her skill was really useful,” Riley said.

The library used the old middle school, which was vacant, to continue its operations until the end of summer 2004. Then a modular library was built behind the school.  

The new Granby Library celebrated its grand opening July 4, 2006. Polly Gallagher, executive director of the library district, said it cost more than $3 million to complete the library. According to the Grand County Library District and Riley, the library received funding through grants and donations from private and public entities in addition to loans. A mill levy, instituted in 1994, also provided funding, according to Sky-Hi News archives. 

Riley said that in retrospect, the destruction had a silver lining.

“In a way, it ended up being good,” she reflected. “We had already been talking about how we were in a dark, little basement. Not the way you would hope to get a library, but it did all work out.”

Riley added that many community members pitched in and organized after the attack to help all the victims get back on their feet, including fundraising efforts. She said she was amazed by the book donations from the community.

Penny Hamilton, a local historian and author, wrote in an email that the Granby Community Relief Fund was started shortly after the attack and quickly started to raise money for victims. She remembers how children sold stuffed animals at garage sales, community members held bake sales and people donated cash and made in-kind contributions. Patrick Brower, former editor and publisher of Sky-Hi News, wrote in his 2017 book “Killdozer” that almost $1 million was raised for the fund.

Hamilton added that there was even a Ladies of Granby Calendar featuring pictures of scantily clad  local women posing for each month. She said the calendar raised about $40,000 and was one of the biggest fundraising projects. Other local nonprofit organizations, area businesses and emergency relief funds also contributed to assisting victims and rebuilding efforts, according to articles from Sky-Hi News archives.

“My memory of the event is of the goodness and immense kindness of so many nationwide,” Hamilton said about the aftermath.   

Brower acknowledged in his book the revitalization of Granby’s business district with new and remodeled buildings, though he emphasized it “came with a cost both financial and emotional.”

“​​I can tell you without hesitation that, for me, I would much rather have never gone through the Killdozer rampage,” Brower wrote in a column for Sky-Hi News on the 20th anniversary of the attack. “… And I’d be willing to bet that all the victims would prefer by many degrees of intensity to have never gone through the rampage, despite all the improvements it forced.”

Glen Trainor, undersheriff at the time of the attack, reflected on how the community came together after the destruction.

“All the buildings that were damaged look so much better,” Trainor said. “I think it really did motivate people to take more pride in their community. It started a revitalization in the town. I think the end result is Granby is much better for it.”

Today, Trainor is the chief of the Fraser Winter Park Police Department, which was founded along with the Granby Police Department in the aftermath of the attack. He added that he feels blessed to live in a close-knit community like Grand County. The residents rose up after the tragedy and helped one another in a myriad of ways, whether it was donating books to the library district or fundraising to help the victims. 

“You don’t find that everywhere, and I have always felt very grateful for the support of the community,” Trainor said.