Move-in to new OI, chamber HQ underway

People have started to move in to the new headquarters for Olds Institute (OI), the Olds & District Chamber of Commerce, the visitor information centre and Uptowne Olds.

The move-in began around the end of last month. However, it may take days, if not weeks to complete.

Until now, OI has worked out of the town office. Chamber executive director Robbin Corsiatto has as well since January. Corsiatto is now at the new location and OI administrative coordinator Patti Simoneau is expected to join her shortly.

Space is also available for Uptowne Olds, should they decide to make use of it. Also, a deal is in the works to enable phone calls for Olds Regional Exhibition (ORE) to be answered in the building, which is located across the street from the post office.

OI executive director Mitch Thomson says plans call for the building, which formerly housed The Cooperators, to be officially opened in a few weeks.

Thomson predicts this will be the home for OI, visitor information and the chamber, etc., for the next 10 years. He notes they have a five-year lease now with an option for a five-year extension of that lease.

The facility will feature visitor information and reception services in the front lobby.

When Thomson was interviewed, the plan was to hire three summer students, including two who will help provide tourism information in addition to tourism information available electronically.

There are five offices down the hallway. In addition to those for the chamber and OI, there are a couple of offices that can be used by entrepreneurs or non-profit groups.

The hallway consists of glass walls instead of drywall. Thomson said that decision was made in order to make it seem less gloomy and more open.

ìIf you can imagine these walls being closed in, it's a much darker, kind of closed-in feeling. So by leaving it open, we were trying to be more inviting, more accessible and whatnot,î he says.

The hallway also features a boardroom which Thomson says can accommodate 18 to 24 people. It too can be used by various community groups in addition to OI and the chamber.

There is also storage space for each of the groups.

The building also features an electric vehicle charging station on the south side of the building. Currently, there's only one 100-amp station, but Thomson says if demand warrants, more may be installed.

Thomson says the cost of renovations, equipment and furniture for the building as well as tourism-related support is expected to total about $180,000. Of that figure, OI is contributing about $90,000, and the province about $60,000 through a grant. The town is also kicking in some money.

Thomson says wherever possible, organizers have saved money by accepting used furniture and equipment from various businesses and donors.

However, some new equipment and decorations had to be purchased. In that case, he says, they bought from local businesses wherever possible. But he says the glass doors/walls along the hallway could not be locally sourced, so they were obtained and installed by a Calgary company.

ìWe're cognizant of functionality and appearance and what we're trying to do with the space so we haven't accepted all of the donated items that people have offered,î Thomson says.

As reported earlier, OI plans to obtain several electronic visitor information kiosks that will be distributed around the community in very strategic areas, providing tourist information on a 24-hour basis.

One will be located adjacent to the building. Thomson anticipates another will likely be located at the Community Learning Campus. Another could be located in Uptowne and yet another might be placed at the Olds Regional Exhibition grounds.

ìWe want to make sure we place where there is need and where there's lots of traffic. We want to encourage them to come into our commercial areas,î Thomson says. ìWe don't just want to put them out on the corner of the highway so they can keep going.î