By Geoff Smith

New name, new owners for North Battleford motel

May 3, 2016 | 1:38 PM

There’s been another name change in North Battleford’s hotel industry.

New owners took over the Best Canadian Motor Inn on the Highway 16 bypass March 15, 2016.

The location is now called the Canadian Motel, and has been disaffiliated from the BCMI chain which operates in several Alberta communities along with Lloydminster.

“The opportunity obviously was a great one,” said assistant manager Sam Kim, whose family purchased the hotel. “Saskatchewan was always a place we always wanted to come, to try to see ourselves. So far we’re enjoying it.”

The Kims previously owned a gas station in Wetaskiwin, Alta. They said the transition into the hotel business has kept them busy round the clock.

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“There’s basically no sleep,” Kim said. “We’re right by the motel anyway, so it’s basically a 24-7 kind of job.” The work includes renovations that will include updating the carpeting, bedding, and furnishings in the rooms.

Sam’s father, manager Jay Kim said their clientele has been a mix of tourists, sports teams, and business travellers – mainly in construction. The Kims expect a surge in business during construction of the new Saskatchewan Hospital.

While the motel is being operated as an independent for now, Sam Kim said that could change.

“We don’t know what the future holds. Hopefully it could be something we could work towards,” he said. “Right now we’re just concentrating on making this motel the best it could be.”

In the past ten years, the North Battleford hotel industry has seen the addition of the Gold Eagle Lodge in 2006. The former Happy Inn joined the Travelodge chain, while the Super 8 became the Lone Star Hotel.

Plans have been announced for a 100-room Comfort Inn and Suites adjacent to Frontier Centre.

gsmith@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @smithco