The newly elected Williams Lake BIA board is looking forward to a busy fall with several community events planned.
One of the big events the BIA is preparing for is the BC Mountain Bike Symposium that will be held in the lakecity on Oct. 2 to 4, says Angie Delainey the new BIA board chair.
The Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association has chosen Williams Lake out of 11 potential host communities as their destination for this year’s symposium. Partnering with MTB is the City of Williams Lake, Williams Lake Cycling Club, The Cariboo Regional District, The Williams Lake Indian Band and the Cariboo Mountain Bike Consortium. For more information on this event please contact Beth Holden at bethholden@live.com.
“Jeremy Zwiers our summer student will be delivering a form this week to our businesses so that they can get information ready for the welcome packages for the 250 participants that will be coming to town, alternatively this form is also available on our FB page and can be sent electronically, just e-mail or call our office and Jeremy will get it to you.” Delainey says.
Delainey was elected chair during the BIA’s annual meeting July 15.
The new board includes vice-chair Jazmyn Douillard; past-chair Jan Hermiston; secretary Jamie Bourdon; treasurer Melaine Ablitt; and directors Jana Roller, Megan Chutskoff, Dora Althaus, Cindy Chappell, Kim Futcher, Sarah Hutchins, and Jason Akeson.
The Williams Lake Central Business Area Improvement Association, best known as the BIA is dedicated to maintaining and improving the downtown core of the community and works hand in hand with the city on beautification and service projects as well as community events.
“Sept. 10 will be our strategic planning meeting where we will review the plan, set aside project funds and assign tasks,” Delainey says.
The BIA is also in the process of putting up information billboards on Highway 97 at the southern and northern entrances to the city.
“We have put up our first billboard coming from the south and have secured this space for five years,” Delainey says.
“The billboard is just across the street from Coyote Rock. We are in the negotiation stage of securing a second billboard coming from the North which will be on a five-year lease as well.”
She says the BIA is also in the process of adding a new mural to the Alley Art program.
“This year the Crosina Realty building has been chosen and Dwayne Davis will be the artist,” Delainey says.
Other big events the BIA is planning for include the Winter Lights Festival held the first weekend in December.
The BIA is also in the process of hiring an office/event co-ordinator, job description can be found on our Facebook page, Delainey says.
The new board will hold its first official meeting Sept. 24 and plans to host a meet the greet for it members at the end of September, Delainey says.