Abbotsford’s Clarion Hotel and Conference Centre is back in business after being ravaged by flooding in November.
The hotel, located at 36035 North Parallel Road, has been closed for the past two-plus months following the extreme flooding event.
The hotel suffered extensive damages, and at the peak of the flooding, the hotel lobby had more than eight inches of water, and the conference centre lobby had more than three feet of water.
Hotel guests and staff had to be evacuated on the night of Nov. 16, 2021, and about 100 staff members have been impacted by the closures since.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming our community back to the hotel and conference centre, which has been the key venue in Abbotsford for many weddings, meetings, events, and celebrations over the years,” stated Valentina Tang, Asset Manager for Wanson Group — owner of Abbotsford’s Clarion Hotel. “Our heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone who assisted in our recovery, and to our clients for their encouragement, patience, and continued support.”
To celebrate the hotel’s reopening, Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the hotel on Feb. 10, at 1:30 p.m. Joining him in attendance will be Brian Leon, President of Choice Hotels Canada.
About 12 months prior to the flooding, the hotel had completed a comprehensive, ground-up renovation — with all 115 guest rooms and its 24,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit spaces updated with new carpeting, fixtures, window treatment, lighting, furniture, and amenities.
Following the damage, the hotel and conference centre lobbies were renewed once again, while the passenger elevators received new upgrades as well.
“Our team members had worked tirelessly with the restoration company to get us to this point,” stated Danny Crowell, hotel general manager. “There is still more work to be done behind the scenes, but we are ready and very excited to be welcoming guests to the hotel again.”
Previous events held at the building include: Health Talks 101: A Day of Medical Enlightenment, the Fire and Ice Gala, Toys for Tots, Boxing BC Provincials, the Lucky Cats Show and many more.
The facility is also hosting the Business Excellence Awards on the evening of Feb. 10.
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