Our team worked with the City of Fort St. John, Tourism Fort St. John, and local stakeholder groups to develop a feasibility study for the development of a new visitor information and interpretive centre. The project included a best practices review, comparative analysis, broad stakeholder consultation, function analysis, location analysis, and program analysis. Potential sites were identified and design options for each were developed. A detailed business and operational analysis was conducted to support the operations and sustainability of the proposed new facility, including opportunities for new revenue generation and programming. In addition, an overarching vision, guiding principles, facility outcomes, and operational principles were developed to guide the new visitor centre, support sustainability, and reflect the essence of the community.
A diverse collection of local and regional stakeholders, including Indigenous, arts, culture, heritage, tourism, and business groups, were effectively engaged to identify stakeholder needs and opportunities for partnership.
Findings from the research and engagement process were used to create a compelling vision, design principles, facility outcomes, and operational principles for the proposed new facility.
The report contains a comprehensive business and operational analysis that includes recommendations for service level, staffing, programming, operational hours, revenue generation, community engagement, and tourism organization support. A five-year operational budget was developed to outline expected facility revenues and expenses.
Photo Credits: EMC (Above), EMC (Left)