Everyone is invited to the Atikokan Art's Centre for this fun-filled event!!
Bring your shakers, instruments and voices!!
Refreshments available
Admission: donation
Community Announcements RSS FeedAtikokan Chamber of Commerce Annual Report
We're hangin' in there.
I guess that's the best way to sum up 2009-10 from a Chamber perspective.
That's understandable in this small community hit hard by the downturn in the forest industry, on top of twenty-five years of smaller declines. We need some growth, we all know it. We're reasonably confident we'll finally get that growth over the next few years.
Our membership stands at 68, roughly the same as 2008-09. Our membership fees remain the lowest in the region, and among the lowest in the proviince.
Our biggest activity as an organization is operating the tourist bureau, which we are able to do thanks to a partnership with the Town. In 2009 visitation was up noticably, over 2,600 people signed in there between Victoria Day and Labour Day, a 10% increase over 2008. Interestingly, almost all of the increase was in American visitors.
Our manager, Jolene Wood, did a great job organizing our student workers. And our volunteers did yeoman service - let me salue Pat and Cliff Ducharme, Gary Parker, Ginny Leif, Marie Warren and, Jack Switzer. Sadly, we lost him this year, he contributed so much to the community over the years. He is greatly missed.
One of the highlights in 2009 was getting the tourist bureau Internet-connected. That allowed us to work right out of the Tourist Bureau when coverage was needed, and allowed our students to get more involved in Chamber projects.
This year, we are planning to add a fourth student to the payroll, and to make the Tourist Bureau area wi-fi. You'll be able to connect to the Internet or use your Blackberry 24/7 right from the parking lot come May.
After a disappointing turn-out of vendors at the 2009 Trade Show - there were similar events going on in Kenora and Fort Frances - we and our Trade Show partners, the Lions Club, have decided to move the 2010 Trade Show to September. That's right - this is the official announcement that the 2010 Atikokan Trade Show will be held September 17-18, at Little Falls.
The move will change the show considerably. We hope to attract more big ticket vendors, more home-based businesses and artisans, and, in partnership with the Centennial Museum, revive the home-making and horticultural show. It'll be the place to be on September 17-18.
One of the reasons for the date change was money. We didn't make enough at the 2009 Trade Show, and that's the main reason our 2009 finances turned out poorly. The loss we sustained for the year has pretty much used up all of our reserves. We even had to layoff our manager for several weeks in January. We're looking to get that turned around.
Thanks to a FedNor/AEDC local initiatives grant, we are in the process of completely overhauling the Chamber website. The new version should go live during the next few months, and be much more attractive to potential visitors to - and future residents of - the community.
None of these things would have been possible without our partnership with the Atikokan Economic Development Corp. It provides low-cost office space, helps us employ our manager, and continues to be a big supporter of the Chamber and our programs.
Our manaber, Jolene, in her second year in the post, is now able to bring experience to her work - it makes a great combination with the initiative and determination she consistently shows. We're lucky to have her!
I want to thank my fellow board members for their commitment in 2009-10: vice-chair Val Fraser - who was the lead in organizing this evening's event, treasurer Maureen James, Fred Colvin, Ed Enge, Sandra Gauthier-Poelman, Kim Cross, Tracy Brown and Councillor Mark Makarenko. A special thanks, too, to past-president Judi Simmons. After 15 years on the Chamber board she's moved on to Dryden. We'll miss our godmother!
Finally, none of this would have been accomplished without you, our members.
Being part of the Chamber is one of the best ways for a business to give back to the community it serves. We are stronger as businesses, and as a business community, when we work together and support one another.
Michael McKinnon
Chair
