The Tourism Prince George visitor centre will soon be on the move.
By the spring or summer of 2024, its new home will be the two-storey rotunda area of the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre facing Canada Games Plaza.
Increased visibility, access to more foot traffic and a more central location next to the Prince George Public Library, in close proximity to Two Rivers Gallery, Canfor Leisure Pool, Connaught Hill Park and downtown hotels and restaurants is what convinced the board of directors to choose the Civic Centre over an alternatively proposed site at Pine Centre Mall.
“We are thrilled to have finally found a long-term spot that meets the needs of visitors who are stimulating our local economy,” said board chair Paul Robison. “This is a great fit, not only does it represent Prince George well, it’s a natural extension of the Civic Centre. It will be a great opportunity for not only visitors but local people to come in and check us out.”
“I think what’s really exciting in this location is the foot traffic capabilities we’ll have, said chief executive officer Colin Carson. “We’re walking distance to 850 hotel rooms right here. We’re attached to the Conference and Civic Centre, which is one of the biggest economic drivers in our community.”
Carson said additional signage will be installed to direct visitors to the new location.
“One of the trends we’re seeing is people are less likely to seek out visitor centres than they used to be, Now, if they stumble upon it they’ll go in for sure, but we needed to make sure we’re in a location that’s convenient for visitors to access.”
With the two levels of the rotunda site, the new location will offer about the same amount of space as the current visitor centre. The cost of renovating the building will be phased in gradually, paid for through grant money. Compared to other potential locations, the rotunda location on city-owned property will save TPG an estimated $60,000 annually. In the event the new building is not ready for the summer tourist season, Carson said there is a backup location in place.
Mayor Simon Yu said the new visitor centre will be well situated to take advantage of future public developments he’d like to see built downtown as part of the Civic Core District Plan.
“The future of this area is going to very exciting with the possibility of a new arena, a new convention centre, as well as a symphony hall, all located nearby, with all the hotel rooms, this can be the central spot for tourism to flourish in Prince George,” said Yu.
