If all goes according to Tourism Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 plans, there could be a new addition to the downtown waterfront by next year.

Tourism Kelowna representatives unveiled plans Thursday for a $3.5 million visitor information centre located on the Queensway jetty, which currently is used as a city parking lot. The city would retain ownership of the land, entering a lease agreement with the tourism organization, should rezoning be approved.

害羞草研究所淰isitor centres are the front doors to the community,害羞草研究所� said Tourism Kelowna CEO, Nancy Cameron, when she presented the plan.

She said the current Visitor Information Centre just isn害羞草研究所檛 up to snuff, when it comes to welcoming tourists. The fact is, she said, people don害羞草研究所檛 travel the way they did in the early 害羞草研究所�80s when the centre took up residence on Highway 97.

They don害羞草研究所檛 roll into the city, make a quick stop at the information booth and choose their accommodation and activities from there. Most make their plans from the comfort of their couch, using the myriad of online tools available.

That change in travelling is being shown through the organization害羞草研究所檚 internal numbers.

In 2005 there were somewhere in the area of 50,000 visitors a year to the centre. Last year, there were 20,000 and the expectation is that the numbers will continue to dwindle.

害羞草研究所淲e know that highway located centres across North America are experience rapid declines due to technology and changing usage,害羞草研究所� Cameron said.

害羞草研究所淲e are losing our customers because of this shift...The highway location is the wrong location. Like a hotdog vendor, we have to go to where our customers are.害羞草研究所�

And their customers are downtown.

It害羞草研究所檚 the way tourism centres operate in Portland, Oregon, Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary.

害羞草研究所淭hink of the Visitor Centre in Victoria害羞草研究所檚 Inner Harbour. It gets 350,000 visitors every year and we have 20,000 and declining,害羞草研究所� she said.

In contrast, the boardwalk area Tourism Kelowna would like to move to gets somewhere in the area of 440,000 passersby a year.

If those people could be directed to tourism locations, the new location could be a boon to the local economy.

害羞草研究所淣orth America-wide Visitor Information centre research shows that walk-ins in primary tourist areas are growing,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭hey are still relevant.害羞草研究所�

But it害羞草研究所檚 all about the location.

There will be a lot of community consultation before anything is decided upon. Rezoning applications will likely be before city council sometime in the next few weeks.

And, as the process plays out, questions about whether the centre is in line with what害羞草研究所檚 required with the Simpson covenant may be raised.

Tourism Kelowna chair Daniel Bibby doesn害羞草研究所檛 foresee a problem, noting that it keeps with the demands of that document.

Issues about fundraising are also not likely to raise concerns.

害羞草研究所淭ourism Kelowna is responsible for raising or borrowing the entire $3.5 million to build the new visitor centre. We are excited to be able to add another beautiful public building to downtown for use by visitors and residents. It will complement the new marina, yacht club, parks and other downtown improvements,害羞草研究所� said Bibby.

The board of directors for the organization have approved borrowing of $2.5 million, and they will fundraise for the last

$1 million. The new visitor centre will have a 3,000 square foot footprint at ground level with a partial second floor of 2,000-square-feet. Through extensive use of glass in its construction and increased open public space around the building, views will be respected.

The building will be set back 50 feet from the waterfront on each side of the building. This will be a new public 害羞草研究所榩laza-like害羞草研究所� space and allows for the continuation of the waterfront walkway between Stuart Park and Kerry Park.

害羞草研究所淭he location was Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 original point of welcome as an historic ferry landing site and it will once again be used to welcome visitors said Bibby.