The Hope Visitor Centre is reopening this Saturday with a new vision under the management of AdvantageHOPE.
The team put the finishing touches on the interior space this week, which will serve as the headquarters for Hope’s tourism and economic development services. This will allow staff to immediately assist visitors who have inquires about moving to or investing in Hope.
“When we have all these things working together, we’re going to have more efficiency,” said Riley Forman, who is in charge of tourism services for AdvantageHOPE.
“They’ll work hand-in-hand. Certain things about economic development and certain things about the visitor centre have different functions, but where there is crossover we want that crossover to be strong.”
Tourists and locals will now be able to purchase Hope-branded gear and fun memorable souvenirs from the visitor centre. AdvantageHOPE is also currently seeking local people who create unique artisans, giftware and souvenirs to showcase in the new #MadeInHopeBC gallery.
“We want people to know that quality is made in Hope. We really want to brand that,” said Forman.
“This is an opportunity for us to sell Hope, B.C. and really start to capitalize on the traffic that’s coming through Hope. We don’t want to be a pit stop in Hope anymore.”
As for the museum, AdvantageHOPE is planning to modernize how the stories and history of Hope are presented. The museum is slated to reopen for the May long weekend, but it will be an ongoing project.
“There’s a lot of work that needs to be done in the museum,” said Forman.
“We really want to move the museum in a new direction in a more engaging way to tell the history.”
The visitor centre will be open year-round from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended hours in the summer. A grand opening celebration is in the works for March.
For more information about the Hope Visitor centre or the new #MadeInHopeBC gallery, email VC@HopeBC.ca or call 604-869-2021.