The Rossland Chamber of Commerce is looking to make its third move in four years.
The chamber’s executive director, Julie Parker, has asked the city for help in making the organization’s move to the Rotary Health Building.
The chamber is requesting 12 months of in-kind rent from the City of Rossland to facilitate the move to the city-owned building that includes the Rossland Food Bank and Rossland Search and Rescue.
In her presentation, Parker stressed to council the chamber needed to find new office space in order to realize the vision of making the organization a stronger, more viable part of the business community.
Many different locations were considered for their potential location, but the space had to be contingent on where they were going as an organization what role they wanted to play in the community and what services they wanted to offer members.
“We are up on the second floor, we are far away and we aren’t accessible,” she said. “We don’t have the information and the racking we used to have.”
Administratively, the office suits the chamber, but it doesn’t suit the members and offer the services it once did—which members are still requesting.
Currently, the chamber is housed a small, second floor office in the Bank of Montreal Building, and has no board room, nor office working space for its membership.
The proposed location would include full chamber services, developing it as a community business centre and a welcoming centre, with a meeting room.
It is expected that city staff will be bringing a recommendation to council on the request this month, with council to make a decision thereafter on the matter.