There’s been no resolution yet on council’s front regarding the suggestion the City of St. Albert partner with the St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce so the latter can provide tourism information services.
During Tuesday night’s meeting, both former councillor Malcolm Parker and Paul Quantz, who was representing the St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce, spoke in support of council passing a motion initiated by Parker to add $30,000 to the economic development department’s budget for the next three years to fund tourist information and welcoming services via an agreement with the chamber.
“It’s regrettable that we at the chamber can’t help (tourists) more,” Quantz told council, adding hundreds of people come into their building looking for tourism information and help.
The chamber would like to enter into a service agreement with the city, Quantz said, to provide tourist information at their office and the farmers’ market during the summer months.
In response to questions from council, Quantz said it’s likely the chamber would be willing to put money towards the project as well.
Parker had made the notice of motion before the election and came to speak to it as a civilian.
The chamber building – located at the south of the city near the major roadways – is a practical place for such information, Parker said.
“Tourists are looking for more than brochures,” Parker said to council, referencing the current practice of brochure racks at city hall being the city’s tourism information centre.
Instead of any councillor formally moving Parker’s motion, which would have triggered a debate session and a vote, Couns. Gilles Prefontaine and Sheena Hughes both offered notices of motion on the same topic.
Prefontaine put forward a motion that administration negotiate a co-operative service agreement in conjunction with the chamber to provide additional tourism information and welcome services including the current chamber location and report back to council by the end of February 2014.
Hughes’ motion called for a committee made up of administration and council members to enter into negotiations with the chamber regarding tourism information and report back by the end of February 2014.
Both councillors’ motions will be back on the council agenda in the coming weeks.
