Visitor Information Centre (photo/Vernon Matters)

By Kevin Rothwell

Vernon Tourism Visitor Centre in limbo

Jan 24, 2021 | 8:00 AM

A request from the Vernon Winter Carnival Society (VWCS) to the city to consider relocating to the Vernon Tourism Information Centre building will likely remain up in the air for some time.

City staff was asked to bring back a report, after Coun. Kari Gares raised the issue earlier this month.

Carnival has been looking for a new home for sometime, after receiving an eviction notice from its current building on 35th Ave., which sustained flood damage. The eviction was eventually halted and a five-year lease was signed, but the building doesn’t have much life left in it.

COVID-19 has had a major impact on 2021 Carnival including the postponement of the parade, and now the space they would like to move to.

A staff report indicates that since the temporary closure of the visitors centre on 39th Ave. in April 2020, there have been several enquiries regarding potential lease space within the building.

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• Administration has informed interested parties that the city is currently utilizing a portion of the building for Vernon Fire Rescue Services (Emergency Program team).
• Administration will be undertaking a thorough review of long term needs for visitor services after the summer tourist season, this is critical information required prior to exploring alternative uses for the space, including conversion to a permanent Emergency Operations Centre.
• Administration plans to report back to Council in the Fall.

Vernon has requested grant funding to place timber frame kiosks with interactive touch screens at key tourist locations, as trends indicate visitors are less likely to stop at a visitor centre.