Nelson Star Wednesday, February 5, 2014
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Business to Business An update on the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce and the Nelson and Area Economic Development Partnership
Regional Visitor Gateway-Business Opportunity Centre The City of Nelson continues to plan and implement components of the Downtown Waterfront Master Plan. The working groups of stakeholders, business people, councilors and city staff continue to meet as the planning and implementation continues. Most recently the City sent out a Request for proposals for preliminary planning concepts for the Railtown District. The CP Station is a cornerstone of the Railtown District, and the Chamber of Commerce continues to chip away at the 3.5 million dollar restoration of the heritage train station at the foot of historic Baker Street. The project will see the construction of a Regional Visitor Gateway and Business opportunity Centre for the West Kootenay region, while catalyzing development of one of the last significant expanse of vacant land in Nelson. The plan recognizes the historical importance of the railroad in the development of Nelson and has renamed the lower Baker Street area as “Railtown”. Vision The Station project will fully restore one of the area’s most treasured landmarks, due to CP Rail’s historical economic importance to this region and the building’s architectural significance. Inside the building, a full service Regional Visitor Information Centre will complement an interpretive display that showcases the area’s character, businesses, investment opportunities, heritage and cultural diversity. The Regional Visitor Gateway will feature a special “Made in the Kootenays” marketing showcase for high margin value added export business. Upstairs, new offices for the Chamber of Commerce, the Nelson Economic Development Partnership, Invest Kootenay and the Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism Association Regional Destination Marketing Organization will be housed. A range of private and public sector uses will fill the remaining portions of the building, adding to the vibrancy of this new place of business.
tourism and investment infrastructure will directly provide broad-based economic benefits to the region through increased longterm sustainable and diversified employment. A strong, vital and innovative tourism sector contributes to the economic and social wellbeing of existing businesses to maintain employment and growth”. Thomson adds “The regional areas along the north shore of Kootenay Lake, including Kaslo and Crawford Bay, the Slocan Valley, the Highway 6 corridor to Salmo, and the City of Castlegar add to the depth and breadth of cultural and heritage attractions, recreational activities and benefits available to visitors, enabling our region to target a broader range of markets, promote longer stays and encourage greater expenditures” Phases The Chamber has invested over 1.7 million dollars and generated jobs and economic activity with the project. This includes the job creation provided to local contractors, trades, design professionals, planners and heritage consultants. Chamber President Justin Pelant says “when the Chamber took on the task of restoring the heritage train station one of our key guiding principles was a Think Local First mentality, so providing opportunities to local building supply stores and local contractors was our main priority”. Thomson adds “the Chamber has also benefitted tremendously from the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation Job Creation Program. “The JCP crews have been very involved in everything from the gutting of the interior of the building in preparation for construction, prepping the exterior envelope and completing siding repairs as gear up for future painting. This
project has been extremely fortunate that we have received ongoing support from the Ministry and its staff ”. Thomson says, “work is continuing inside the building with structural repairs and the installation of wood chip and clay blocks, and interior insulation which will act as a second thermal barrier. The JCP crew fabricated these thermal barrier blocks and the installation got underway this fall in the east end of the building. There are still a few more structural items to deal with in the short term, however, electrical, mechanical and site drainage planning has been completed. Work has also been completed on the interior design of the Regional Visitor GatewayBusiness Opportunity Centre.” A civil works contract has just been awarded to deal with site drainage, some grading of the building exterior and preparation for the installation of the exterior boardwalk. Chamber President Justin Pelant says the project will be a tremendous benefit to the community when it is completed. He notes “there still a great deal of work that must be completed, but to see where we are today from when the Chamber first acquired the building the progress has been significant”. The Chamber and Gateway uses of the building require approximately 50% of the 10,000 sq. ft. of developable space. The balance of the space could hold a wide range of complementary uses. A number of options are under consideration for the balance of the space. A mix of private and public purpose spaces are being considered. You can guarantee if you are thinking about a certain type of business as being a good fit, it’s a good bet that the option has likely already been on the table, or depending on its viability is still on the table.
A proud member of Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce
Ted Allen’s Jewellery... helping make the Nelson Chamber of Commerce look good one piece of jewellery at a time.
Benefits Chamber Executive Director Tom Thomson says “the improvement to the local tourism and business investment infrastructure will provide a legacy of long-term economic benefits in the West Kootenay region as a whole thus strengthening our region economically, which in turn will support the further development of viable, vital and sustainable rural communities. Improved
431 Baker Street , Nelson, BC Phone: 250-352-5033
Regional Visitor Gateway Business Opportunity Centre Restoration Project Embracing our Heritage, while investing in a sustainable community vision…the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce since 1893
225 Hall Street Nelson • PH: (250) 352-3433