Left, Coun. Ross MacAngus and Mayor David Gillan; and, right, city economic development manager Jan Swanson. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Economic development plans

City approves three-year agreement with Destination Battlefords

Mar 14, 2023 | 12:24 PM

The City of North Battleford approved a new service agreement for funding and support for Destination Battlefords at its meeting this week.

City council authorized the agreement for a three-year term from Jan. 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2025.

Council previously approved a grant of $40,000 per year for three years, and up to 25 per cent of the city’s economic development manager’s time to help Destination Battlefords. The Destination Battlefords board currently includes two representatives from each funding partner – the City of North Battleford and the Battlefords Hotels Association – and a representative at large. The agreement includes a three-year renewal with no request for additional funding at this time.

Councillors Kelli Hawtin and Kent Lindgren sit on the board for the city. The at-large representative is from Fort Battleford National Historic site.

The city confirmed that its financial contribution matches the financial contribution of the Battlefords Hotels Association.

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City economic development manager Jan Swanson said the city also made an agreement with the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce to share one chamber co-op student, half-time, on a temporary basis.

“[It’s] to help us get up and get going” to rejuvenate Destination Battlefords, he said.

Hawtin said the co-op student is here to work on the initiative until September.

“She [the student] has been helping getting our advertising, social media, some of that stuff going,” she said. “We’re active, and we’re starting to get in touch with the community.”

Hawtin added Swanson has been working on looking into revising and updating some bylaws related to the new agreement and partnership, as part of his efforts.

“We are going to start to look at our strategic plan for the year, and think about what is one big thing we can work on this year,” she said. “We have talked about sports tourism: Maybe that is something that we can really impact at this point. But we are small, and we are just starting to build. I think there will be some good things happening, but we just need some time to get those building blocks in order. I think we are on the right track though.”

Following the meeting, Mayor David Gillan noted he was optimistic for the future of the organization and North Battleford tourism.

Destination Battlefords currently doesn’t have any staff and operates virtually. During the pandemic years, the non-profit was mainly inactive. But over the course of the past year and a half it has started to re-emerge and begin anew.

“Now, we’re just sort of unveiling the new change, which is our economic development manager working part-time for Destination Battlefords,” Gillan said. “But the city and the Hotels Association are still very positive about the future of event attraction and destination marketing.”

Gillan said he hopes Destination Battlefords is able to bring more event attractions into the city.

“This is all good for economic development,” he said. “It’s good for the economy. It’s good for the hotels, not just the hotels who are part of Destination Battlefords.”

Gillan added more events in the Battlefords will also help boost business, and bring more people to local restaurants and gas stations.

“Events are great, so we want to attract a lot,” he said. “[And] we have great facilities, and great hotels.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow