INVERMERE - Downtown Invermere has received a facelift and capping off the improvements along its main street (7th Avenue), is the newly renovated Cenotaph Park.

The $462,414 Cenotaph Park renovations have been made possible with $202,000 in Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) program funding as well as additional monies from Veteran’s Affairs Canada. The funding went toward construction which included repairing the cenotaph as well as replacing flag poles and benches. The landscaping improvements included planting a mature Russian olive tree.

The $10.5 million a year Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) program managed by the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training helps small, tourism-based municipalities attract visitors. Invermere has received $1,396,667 in funding since it joined the RMI program in 2009.

Other communities that participate in the RMI program include Fernie, Golden, Harrison Hot Springs, Kimberley, Radium Hot Springs, Revelstoke, Rossland, Sun Peaks, Tofino, Ucluelet, Osoyoos, Valemount and Whistler.

To keep our economy diverse, strong and growing, since September 2011 the BC Jobs Plan has been building on the strengths of eight of our province’s key sectors using our educated and skilled workforce. B.C.’s tourism sector is one of the eight key sectors identified in the BC Jobs Plan, creating more than 132,200 jobs and $13.9 billion in revenues throughout the province in 2013. Since RMI inception in 2007, over $87.6 million has been invested in tourism infrastructure and programs to support local and regional tourism economies in the 14 participating communities.

(flickr.com)

Quotes:

Bill Bennett, MLA for Kootenay East -

“This money will help Invermere expand its tourism sector and continue to enhance and expand the tourism sector in the East Kootenay. The Resort Municipality Initiative is vital to our growing tourism economy and I am proud that our government continues to support this program.”

Gerry Taft, Invermere mayor -

“The redevelopment of the Cenotaph Park in downtown Invermere is an exciting project that not only draws attention and encourages remembrance for our veterans, but also provides an excellent central town plaza space for public gatherings, musical and cultural performances, and passive enjoyment. The completed Cenotaph Park increases the quality of life for residents of Invermere and also represents an important new tourism asset in our community that can be enjoyed by visitors and complements well with our plans for increased programming of special events and live music in downtown Invermere.”

Quick Facts:

• The RMI program aims to: increase the number of visitors, their length of stay, broaden resort activities, increase employment and diversify the local tax base.
• In 2014, 4.7 million international visitors came to B.C. - a 5.3% increase and nearly a quarter of a million more people than the previous year.

Learn More:

To learn more about the RMI program, please visit: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=30A40BDA6D8346798E15C6050063F719

For more details on the District of Invermere: http://www.invermere.net/

BC Jobs Plan:  http://www.bcjobsplan.ca/

Media Contacts:

Media Relations
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour
250 387-2799