The Kitimat Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Centre is closed for renovations.
Temporarily moved to the Hirsch Creek Golf and Winter Club, the chamber’s hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm.
They’re adding a wheelchair-accessible washroom and an elevator for people with limited mobility.
“In order for visitors to enter the building, they had to climb a total of nine stairs,” said Laurel D’Andrea, Executive Director of the Kitimat Chamber of Commerce. “Anybody who is elderly or has a disability either couldn’t or struggled to gain access to the Visitor Centre and the public washroom.”
Funding for renovations was granted by the Rick Hansen Foundation, Enabling Accessibility in Communities Canada, and the District of Kitimat.
The contract awarded to local company, Viking Construction, only having 12 weeks to complete the project. It is anticipated the chamber of commerce and the visitors centre will be moving back into the office by mid-June.
Originally built in 1966, the existing visitor centre building was designed for use as a forestry station. Now leased by the Kitimat Chamber of Commerce, the building provides a visitor centre and tourism service which align to the tourism activities in Destination BC.
Once renovations are complete, the Kitimat Chamber of Commerce plans to host a COVID-friendly open house for the public.
For more information about the renovations or any chamber/tourism inquiries, contact Laurel or Caitlyn at (250) 632-6294 or via email at edirector@kitimatchamber.ca or tourism@kitimatchamber.ca.
READ MORE: Kitimat’s Chamber of Commerce Celebrates International Women’s Day