Time is ripe for Strathmore tourism campaign

Melissa Strle
Times Reporter

 

The Town of Strathmore’s partnership with Canadian Badlands Tourism has gone through different stages as the town has strived to create branding and a campaign that shows Strathmore as the gateway to the Canadian Badlands and promotes tourism.
Earlier this year, Strathmore chose to maintain its membership in Canadian Badlands Tourism and work towards this end. In return, Canadian Badlands offered support of up to $5,000 in matching funding for signage in the Town of Strathmore. But, as of yet, Strathmore has made no official decisions with regards to this proposed funding and signage.
In the past, Strathmore town councillors have debated whether or not it is beneficial to the Town of Strathmore to be included in the large Canadian Badlands municipality of 66 communities in promoting tourism. This subject was on the agenda at the Aug. 3 town council meeting.
Counc. Denise Peterson talked about the importance of branding Strathmore and stated that she would like to see the concept move forward. According to Peterson, council appears hopeful to move forward and would like to work with Canadian Badlands Tourism and construct signage.
“What we hope to do is to put a sign up on the edge of the community that would indicate that we are part of them and also include some other information,” said Peterson, who added that there is a possibility for additional signage to be placed within the town.
Peterson suggested local talent could help develop a destination marketing organization. “We’ve often talked about branding our community in terms of what we have to offer, in terms of culture and capacity for growth and all those distinct things,” she said. “I think it would be worthwhile to look at contracting someone to put a proposal forward.”
At the meeting, a motion was passed to bring back a proposal to create the Canadian Badlands sign and to look at contractors willing to create a destination marketing organization for Strathmore to help increase tourism.
Peterson believes the timing of creating this proposal and seeing it move forward is ideal for two reasons.
First, Terri Kinsman, chairman of the Strathmore and District Chamber of Commerce, is very involved in Canadian Badlands Tourism and is a proponent of the idea who helped to knowledgeably move it forward with council. Second, Counc. Grajczyk recently became a board member of Canadian Badlands Tourism and is poised to jointly work towards a common purpose of branding for Strathmore and promotion of Canadian Badlands Tourism.
“I think the combination of having Counc. Grajczyk and Terri Kinsman both very, very actively involved in Canadian Badlands has put it on the radar in a very positive, hopeful way,” said Peterson.