Cranbrook is on the path to creating a plan for tourism in the community with the help of three grants, totalling $75,000.
City officials said $50,000 from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC), $20,000 from Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) and $5,000 from the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) will be used to fund the development of Cranbrook’s Tourism Master Plan.
“Serving as a ‘Basecamp for Adventure,’ Cranbrook has tremendous recreation opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts and a blossoming downtown scene,” said officials with the City of Cranbrook.
With an $18,500 investment from the City, the project has a total budget of $93,500.
“We are thankful to ESTI-BC, Columbia Basin Trust and the RDEK for their investment into our community,” said Mayor Lee Pratt. “This funding will allow the city to look ahead and build out a tourism strategy that will best exemplify what the Cranbrook has to offer British Columbia, Canada, and the world.”
City officials said it is partnering with Cranbrook Tourism, the Cranbrook Chamber of Commerce, and the Ktunaxa Nation Council to create the plan.
“We are pleased to support the City, the Ktunaxa Nation Council, the Cranbrook Chamber and Cranbrook Tourism to develop a plan to further tourism opportunities as an economic driver in the Cranbrook area,” said Will Nixon, Columbia Basin Trust, Senior Manager, Delivery of Benefits. “The community of Cranbrook and Ktunaxa ʔamakʔis are places of great beauty and history that are full of recreational opportunities. This partnership will ensure that residents and visitors alike benefit from a well-developed plan.”
Cranbrook said the plan will help guide City Council’s decision-making around tourism initiatives and provide a clear vision of how to bolster current tourism assets in the region.
“We are witnessing an increase in active transportation within our region as our trails and recreational opportunities gain local, provincial, national and international awareness. There are tremendous health and economic benefits that go along with the implementation of a well-designed tourism strategy, and we are proud to support the City of Cranbrook in the development of its Tourism Master Plan,” says RDEK Board Chair Rob Gay.