The visitor information centre will no longer be operated by the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce as of April 30.
The changes had been in the works for a few months but the news was made official by the Chamber Monday. Battlefords Chamber president Ryan Moe spoke about the transition at the regular city council meeting Monday.
The centre, located in front of Western Development Museum at the junction of highways 16 and 40, had been providing visitor reception services with funding provided by the City of North Battleford and the Town of Battleford for the past 40 years.
The funding was provided under a fee-for-service contract. However, the City of North Battleford notified the Chamber in November they did not plan to renew the contract with the Chamber.
Instead, the existing agreement with the Chamber was extended to April 30 to allow a transition period so Battlefords Tourism and Convention Association could take over the tourist reception services role the Chamber had previously filled.
That would allow time for the City to amend their agreement with Battlefords Tourism to "include front end services for tourist reception, and also to give the respective organizations sufficient time to prepare plans for future operations," according to the resolution passed by council at their Nov. 25 meeting.
Monday, the Chamber made known what they plan to do with the building that currently houses the Visitor Information Centre.
It is a wholly-owned property of the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber intends to continue to make the building its operational home and will "re-focus our current resources for the benefit of members and the business community, while providing the prospect of developing the land for future growth and enhancements," said Moe.
While the tourism function will cease operations at their location, the picnic areas, sanitary dumping station and roadside attractions will continued to be maintained by the Chamber.
The Chamber also assured the city, in a letter dated April 9, that they will "look to direct clients to any new municipally funded location for regular business and extended summer hours and attraction information after April 30, 2014."
Councillor Ryan Bater acknowledged the transition for the Chamber.
"I know for the last few months there has been a lot of soul searching and a lot of internal discussions," said Bater.
He said that "like any good business the Chamber will evolve and adapt and has charted a new course for the future that will benefit the membership and itself."
