The Riverside Centre & Visitor Information Centre on Highway 3 is under new—public—ownership.
Residents, businesses, and visitors in the West Boundary are to benefit from a change in ownership and management of Riverside Centre that “promises to boost local services and promote wider community development,” according to a statement from the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, which completed the purchase of the Centre in July with Canada Community-Building Fund capital and a short-term loan.
Trails to the Boundary Society will manage the facility and operations with existing staff and volunteers.
“A large number of services currently run out of the centre,” stated Patricia Henley, president of the Society. “Our competent and forward-looking staff, coupled with a host of valuable communityvolunteers, ensures continued growth.”
Economic promotion of the West Boundary is “foremost in our minds,” Henley added. “The partnership with the regional district opens a variety of components for increased services, grants, and exciting opportunities moving forward.”
“This is an exciting milestone for the West Boundary,” announced Vicki Gee, who spearheaded the move for the RDKB board to purchase Riverside, which had formed a co-operative with Trails to the Boundary Society and Boundary Family Service to lease the land and build a facility. “We had a vision for a community space that would be accessible daily to deliver free core services.”
Due to the “intensive service focus of the Centre, it made sense that local government own it,” Gee added.
The land was leased from the Osoyoos Credit Union and Rock Creek Farmers’ Institute.
“The Riverside Centre is in good hands as it enters its next stage and we’re pleased to have kickstarted the legacy it will ultimately create,“ Alan Bajkov of Osoyoos Credit Union affirmed. “Its new stewards will continue to ensure it remains driven by community need and will steer it forwards to stimulate growth, improve lives and strengthen the prosperity of our local economy to the benefit of the region.”
“So much more than just a building, the Centre’s new owners understand the bigger picture we envisaged for it and will continue to uphold our values,” Ed Fossen, secretary of the Rock Creek Farmers’ Institute, added. “They will ensure it remains a central part of our rural life to enhance food security, bolster local business, support the agricultural community and entrust our heritage to the next generation.”
Riverside was formerly a town site with 14 buildings, was initially developed in the 1850s during the Gold Rush.
Features of the facility include free internet; EV charging stations; printing and scanning services; Board Room and office rentals, a full service Visitor Information Centre; local artisan products, art and history books; Boundary Invasive Species office; Boundary Family Services outreach, and more.
In July 2019, OCU announced their first ever expansion, opening an office and ATM within Riverside.
Photo Credit: RDKB
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