Visitor Information Services in Iroquois will be moved away from the Iroquois Plaza, and closer to the town’s tourist attractions.
South Dundas council approved the move at the May 7 meeting.
This move is one that was suggested by the Iroquois Waterfront Planning Committee.
The VIC will be located in the back room of the Forward House, making it accessible through the side door.
According to the usage statistics presented, it cost the township almost $23 per visitor with a tourism related inquiry to operated the facility last year.
South Dundas economic development officer Nicole Sullivan intends for this proposal to help use these funds more effectively.
The plan is to create a tourism cluster to capture the target audience.
“The target audience is those who are already interested in visiting the community,” she noted. “The objective is to provide information which encourages them to participate in additional activities, ultimately lengthening their stay and increasing spending within the community.”
“The Forward House is strategically placed for achieving this goal as it is located in close proximity to a number of tourism attractions in Iroquois (including the Carman House, Iroquois Golf Course, Iroquois Locks and Galop Canal Marina, etc.),” said Sullivan. “It provides an ideal opportunity to attract traffic that is going or coming from those destinations and travelling along Carman Road.”
“Similarly, the large majority of tourism signage which currently exists through the SDG Tourism signage programs directs visitors along that route,” she added.
Along with moving the visitor information service to a better location, the site also provides some opportunity to create a small interpretive centre where historical/artistic displays could be included. “The Forward House provides adequate space to this objective plus the added appeal of it being a historical building itself,” said Sullivan.
The location will have the convenience of a washroom facility, which the old building never had. Also it is located close to other municipally employed staff at the campground who may be able to cover staff at the facility during lunch breaks. In previous years, the building was left without staff during employee breaks.
The previous location in the plaza will remain in place, for the use of community groups through the township’s facility rental agreement. There would be no fee.
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