Visitor Centres To Be Centralized

Written by Jen Bailey 107.5 KISSFM Tuesday, 12 November 2013 17:00

Site of future new Vernon Tourist Info Centre
at 3004 39 Avenue 

Highway Going South Tourist Centre Left Turn Lane to 39 Ave.

Vernon's two visitor centres will become one in the spring of 2014. The city has decided to centralize the tourism information buildings. The new location will be in the former Correale building near the Civic Arena on 39th Avenue, providing access to both Highway 97 and 27th Street. Councillor Bob Spiers supports going down to one site, but was opposed to the motion over potential traffic issues. "That particular location will require a left turn off a major highway, and people will just bypass it (the centre)," says Spiers. The city says the move will save money in the long run but about $292,000 dollars will be spent to upgrade the building and site. $200,000 of the funds will come from the Additional Hotel Room Tax, and the rest from unused funds from three city departments. Councillor Mary Jo O'Keefe says the change could save the city 60-thousand dollars a year. "I think the savings that will will come from centralizing the booth can be utilized to increase our presence online where I think most of the tourists are getting their information," says O'Keefe.
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Vernon streamlines to one visitor information centre
By Staff Writer - Vernon Morning Star Updated: November 12, 2013 1:57 PM
The City of Vernon is centralizing its visitor information centres. The move is effective in the spring, 2014. The city currently operates two visitor information centres, at the south and north ends of the city. In a news release, the city states that one of the strategic goals of the Vernon Tourism Development Plan was to centralize the two centres in order to achieve savings in operational and maintenance costs and to better meet the needs of tourists and the Vernon business community. The savings realized from operating only one centre will be invested in new tourism marketing initiatives. After a lengthy site selection process, city council, with the support of the tourism advisory committee, has determined that the new Visitor Information Centre will be located on the Civic Arena block, in the building located at 3004-39 Avenue. Both the building and surrounding site will be upgraded over the winter to provide a welcoming Visitor Information Centre with paved parking for visitors and recreational vehicles. The site has excellent access from both Highway 97 and 27th Street, and the proximity to the sani-dump is expected to be well received by visitors travelling with recreational vehicles. Proximity to the downtown is also one of the key benefits of the site. The remainder of the Civic Arena block will continue to be used for parking and the Civic Arena, at least for the short term. The city and the Regional District of North Okanagan are looking into the future of the Civic Arena, with the possibility of replacing the ice at a different location. Should that happen, the city will look towards further improvements on the site to create a park space for residents and visitors alike.
http://www.vernon.ca/news/docs2013/Vernon_Information_Centre_Centralization.pdf