A retired player in the sport of tourism may have a shot back in the Games.
Vernon’s old tourist information centre is being offered up as administrative space for the B.C. Winter Games, which are coming to town in February 2022.
“They are looking for a space to use for the short term,” Coun. Akbal Mund suggested at the July 19 council meeting. “I think this would be an appropriate place.”
The city will meet with the society to see if the space will fit their needs. But it may need more work than it’s worth.
“That space hasn’t been renovated yet so it’s in pretty rough condition,” long range planning and sustainability manager Laurie Cordell said.
The washrooms are not functioning the space which is suggested for the B.C. Games to use, but there are additional washrooms in the building that could be used.
Meanwhile Mund suggests this could be a good opportunity to get the space spruced up as sponsors may step up for the B.C. Games and the space would then be able to used afterwards in the community as a legacy from the event.
An estimated $250,000 in renovations are needed for the building, a portion of which is dedicated for the Emergency Operations Centre.
A $50,000 stand-by generator will be purchased for the EOC.
With all the repairs needed, Coun. Kari Gares questioned if the city should have started from scratch.
“It probably would’ve been cheaper to build a new building from the get go,” she said.
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