The fate of Diamond Valley’s visitor information centre is up in the air as the committee responsible for the facility struggles to keep it operating.
The Diamond Valley Chamber of Commerce decided against its plans to relocate the 1800s style wooden shack from Turner Valley to Black Diamond due to expenses, sustainability and logistics. It is now meeting on Oct. 15 to decide whether or not to continue operating the centre indefinitely.
“Unless a member comes up with a good idea of how this can be a sustainable business the chamber will have to drop the whole thing,” said Bev Geier, president of the Diamond Valley Chamber of Commerce. “If we decide it’s not a sustainable business for us to be in then we are going to sell the building.”
Geier said it just isn’t possible for the five-member executive to operate the centre on its own.
“When people own their own business they don’t have time to run other businesses,” she said. “We are all business owners and have stuff to do.”
Mike Kingston, owner of The Stop Coffee House & Gathering Place, offered a portion of land south of his restaurant to house the centre when the committee was considering relocating the facility in Black Diamond earlier this year.
Stipulations were put in place regarding use of the restaurant’s washrooms and wireless Internet, as well as other logistics.
“It would have been nice to have them there, not just for myself, the community of Black Diamond and the businesses were excited to have it,” Kingston said. “It’s a great idea and a service we need in the community. At the same time because the membership is so small they just don’t have the funds or budget to maintain it.”
Kingston said he understands the hurdles faced by the chamber, but if another solution is found his offer still stands.
“If the Town of Black Diamond decided they wanted to take on the initiative I would be more than willing to let them use that spot,” he said.
Turner Valley Mayor Kelly Tuck said the Town had plans to supplement the loss of the centre with a satellite location at the Sheep River Library if the relocation did take place.
A visitor information centre is included in the design for the Town’s downtown revitalization project, which also includes a market, town square and various businesses.
“I definitely believe it’s a service they offer to the town,” Tuck said. “However the business community feels it’s going to work best, that’s where it needs to be.”
