The village of Burns Lake is among 54 new tourism projects across the province to have received funding through the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program’s (CERIP) destination development stream.
The village has been awarded $149,125 of the $3,513,279 going towards projects in Northern B.C.
Some of the other projects that have received the funding in northern B.C. are Smithers Mountain Bike Association, Yun Yah Indigenous Society, Mackenzie Outdoor Route and Trail Association, Telkwa boat launch upgrade and Nisga’a Lisims Government.
The village’s funding approval is specifically for installing wayfinding system with informational kiosk, new banners and murals throughout the village.
“The Village of Burns Lake is very grateful to the Province of BC for this funding that will help the community further implement directives coming from the Village’s economic diversification strategy and tourism plan to support economic recovery and growth of local businesses,” said Mayor Dolores Funk in an email to Lakes District News.
Through this funding, the village will be able to put in place new banners that would incorporate the new community brand to highlight Burns Lake’s culture, heritage and diversity and new wayfinding signage to attract more tourists to Burns Lake and the surrounding area that would not just help strengthen its economic base but will also help recognize Burns Lake as a community with multiple attractions including recreation, heritage, arts and culture and would potentially enhance the overall image of Burns Lake and the surrounding community as a tourist destination.
This funding will further help the village to expand the mural project that is aimed at increasing the local vibrancy of the community and encourage more visitors to stop and spend more time in the community.
The village will also be able to invest in covered kiosks located at each entrance that would provide visitors with a variety of information including local attractions and events as well as historical and cultural aspects of the community to peak the interest of visitors and encourage them to spend more time in the community, according to Funk.
“We are developing a new Tourism Advisory Committee made up of local tourism stakeholders that will help with the implementation of the actions of this project. The funding supports the expansion of the mural project which will begin this spring to be completed by September 2021,” she said.
Priyanka Ketkar
Multimedia journalist
@PriyankaKetkar
priyanka.ketkar@ldnews.net
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