As COVID-19 restrictions ease and Castlegar gets back to business, the Castlegar and District Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Centre are aiming to help area residents shop and play local.
Chamber of Commerce director Tammy Verigin-Burk wants to assure residents that they can get out and shop, dine and recreate with confidence.
“You can get out and experience what the area has to offer, knowing that every business that is open has had to follow the COVID-19 WorkSafe regulations in order to be open,” said Verigin-Burk.
The chamber is promoting the hashtags #ThinkLocal, #EatLocal, #BuyLocal, and #TravelLocal.
RDCK director Andy Davidoff is thankful for the chamber’s leadership in promoting what the area has to offer.
“We all look forward to our safe return to some semblance of normalcy and commend the inclusive efforts of the Castlegar and District Chamber of Commerce in working with all stakeholders to help spearhead our strategic planning to assist with our post-Covid-19 economic recovery,” said Davidoff.
The Castlegar Visitor Centre will reopen June 22 with a focus on helping locals be a “visitor in their own town.”
To help residents find new things to explore locally, the Castlegar Visitor guide will be inserted in the Castlegar News’ June 18 edition. The guide is usually found at area restaurants and hotels, but this year the chamber wanted to make sure locals had easy access to it.
“We want to encourage the community to enjoy what we have in our backyard,” said Destination Castlegar manager Andrea Ryman.
“We are really lucky. The province is saying ‘fewer faces, bigger spaces’ and that is what our backyard is. We are honoured to live in a place where we have the ability to move around and enjoy.”
The Destination Castlegar website and the Visitor Centre are great resources for information on a wide range of activities. You can find out about the area’s secret gems, unique B&Bs, parks, trail maps, climbing guides, backcountry maps, camping information and business information.
The Visitor Centre also has a lot of Castlegar swag for sale if you want to show off your hometown.
Local officials are also joining the chorus to encourage residents to get out and support their neighbours.
“Now it’s time for our community to rally and support the businesses which provide food, activities, services and products in Castlegar — there are so many to choose from,” said Mayor Bruno Tassone.
RDCK director Rick Smith added: “Under the guidance of Dr. Bonnie Henry, our communities have done a great job to flatten the curve. Now is the time to support the wonderful businesses in our community that are experiencing very difficult times.”
The next thing the chamber has in the works is a Castlegar and Me Campaign that will emphasize supporting local everything and will include some exciting prizes. More details will be coming when the campaign kicks off in July.