You can't make this stuff up!

[pentona]

Looks like Kelowna is getting a windfall from the Province (though that will depend on which party stays in power) for their new Tourist Info Centre. This from Info news today:

June 28, 2017 - 3:31 PM
KELOWNA – The province has given Tourism Kelowna half a million dollars to put towards the planned $2.8 million Visitor Centre in downtown Kelowna on Okanagan Lake.

The announcement was made today, June 28, in a media release from Tourism Kelowna. The grant was contingent on the City of Kelowna issuing a development permit, which was finalized this week.

Tourism Kelowna chair Daniel Bibby says the cheque arrived months ago but the board decided to wait for final approval before making the provincial funding public.

“Had council denied the development permit, the money would have been returned,” Bibby says in a media release. “It would have been inappropriate at that time to presume that council would approve the project. There was still work being done drawing up final plans with our architects and council could have voted the project down.”
Tourism Kelowna has a mortgage secured for the visitor centre project and has also been seeking a federal grant along with private sector sponsors. The new visitor centre would replace the current one on Harvey Avenue.

Bibby says they plan to break ground in the fall and hope for completion by next September.

[Alexa1994]

This would be the third info center in thirty years.

Ah that quite long time.

[Darkre]

https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/209969/Merritt-visitor-stop-closing
Further proof that the city should not invest in a new tourist centre

[southy]

https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/209969/Merritt-visitor-stop-closing
Further proof that the city should not invest in a new tourist centre

Further proof? Seriously Darke? Read the entire story it says a new centre will be built to the tune of $6m. Tells me there must be a need.

[Darkre]

https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/209969/Merritt-visitor-stop-closing
Further proof that the city should not invest in a new tourist centre

Further proof? Seriously Darke? Read the entire story it says a new centre will be built to the tune of $6m. Tells me there must be a need.

Maybe you should re-read the article. It states they are replacing the visitors centre with a rest area due to the drop in visitors to the centre seeking tourist information.

[Darkre]

Actually I'll post and bold the parts instead. Make it easier for you

"The B.C. Visitor Centre at the end of the Okanagan Connector in Merritt is closing for good.

The centre, operated by Destination BC through a third-party contractor, includes washroom facilities, tourist information, souvenir sales and a snack shack. It will close in January.

It will be replaced by a new rest stop being constructed on the Connector between Kelowna and Merritt at the Loon Lake interchange.

The $7-million rest area is expected to open later this fall.

In a statement posted on TripAdvisor, a Destination BC official said significant changes in consumer trip planning behaviour have occurred over the last decade.

"As such, we have seen a corresponding drop in usage of visitor centres, such as the one at Exit 286 near Merritt," the statement noted. "The site is primarily used as a rest area and washroom stop for travellers, rather than a source of travel/trip planning information.""

[ferri]

*Don't start getting grouchy with each other please. Thanks!

[Bsuds]