At the request of Sundre town council, the Sundre and District Chamber of Commerce has presented estimated costs of running the visitor information centre year round.
During last week's governance committee meeting, chamber president Sherry Tytkanych and vice-president Wendy Morgan spoke to council about the estimates.
Total expenses for year-round opening, which would include seven days a week in July and August, and three days a week from September to June, would be $28,062, including $16,632 for the non-summer months.
Building expenses would total $4,950, including $800 for electricity, $600 for gas and $850 for insurance.
Located on Main Avenue in east Sundre, the centre provides information on businesses, tourist destinations and other things to visitors throughout the summer months. The chamber owns the facility, with the majority of current funding coming from the chamber member fees and fundraising.
Two weeks ago the chamber put forward an official request that the Town of Sundre become more involved in the funding of the visitor information centre.
At that time president Tytkanych tabled a request that the town and chamber enter into an agreement of service contract for the centre.
Running the centre has created a significant financial burden on the chamber, she said.
“Every year we seem to be getting more and more financially in trouble,” she said, noting that if changes in funding are not found “we are going to have to walk away from it.”
Under the proposed three-year contract, the Town of Sundre would contribute $10,000 per year for the next three years to help with the cost of operating the centre.
“We pay a lot of information to run the information centre and the reason we are asking for this contract is because we can ask them for $16,000 or $10,000 and then next spring they could give us $2,000 and then we'd be really up the creek,” said Tytkanych.
Coun. Patricia Toone said she would like the proposed agreement for service contract issue to go before an upcoming governance committee meeting for further consideration.
“We need more financial information,” said Toone.
Tytkanych said she is pleased council will be looking at the proposed contract.
“We'd like to hear from them by the first of March so we know where we are heading in to tourist season,” she said.
