The Gibsons Chamber of Commerce is asking the Town of Gibsons to come up with $20,000 to help pay for a new Visitors Services Centre in Sunnycrest Mall.
During a report to council Nov. 15, Chamber executive director Chris Nicholls said the Visitor Services Centre project is a partnership with Sunshine Coast Tourism (SCT) and would also see new space for the Chamber as well as support facilities for SCT and a meeting room that could also be used by community groups.
Nicholls said the main catalyst for the project is the need to close the Visitor Information Centre in Gibsons Landing for renovations, and possibly a complete rebuild. He also said the mall location has several advantages. “There are limitations here in the Landing. We’ve missed opportunities on tour buses, on people in RVs, and with boats and trailers. And with Gibsons being that gateway to the Sunshine Coast, we see a huge opportunity going forward.” The bigger centre could also offer services such as Internet workstations for visitors.
Council didn’t debate the specifics of the funding request, which will likely come back during budget discussions, but Mayor Wayne Rowe questioned whether the mall is the best spot for a visitor centre.
“It doesn’t strike me that’s the first place a visitor goes to look for an information centre,” he said.
But Nicholls said it would be part of a bigger network that includes the Travel Ambassadors on the ferries, the Visitor Information Park off the Langdale Bypass, and other services.
“We still see the need of providing tourism services to Gibsons Landing,” Nicholls said. “We have identified working with Sunshine Coast Tourism there would be an opportunity going forward for how a new visitor services facility can be provided, and we see through different programs that Destination BC is offering us mobile opportunities … where we can be where the tourists are.”
The Town hasn’t made a decision about the current visitor centre building at Pioneer Park. CAO Emanuel Machado said staff are finalizing a report on the building’s condition and future options for the location.
