Dear Mayor Christian and Council,
The Kamloops Chamber of Commerce has a long history of representing and supporting business in Kamloops. With over 600 members, the Kamloops Chamber boasts a wide range of engaged businesses and sectors that look to the Chamber for various member benefits, but also for support in advocacy to all levels of government. One of those sectors is the fitness & wellness business sector.
Our fitness & wellness business sector continues to be severely impacted by the public health and safety measures imposed due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. The City of Kamloops beautifully maintains over 100 parks, sports fields and other outdoor facilities within the boundaries of the City. These open and accessible spaces offer countless benefits to the citizens of our City and visitors alike. These spaces also present an opportunity for our City to support struggling businesses that have been unable to operate safely in their place of business.
The Kamloops Chamber is calling on City Council to take up urgent discussions with our local fitness & wellness businesses to immediately open up City outdoor facilities to these businesses at reduced or no cost so long as these businesses continue to be negatively impacted by public health and safety measures. The Chamber offers support in facilitating these urgent conversations.
While we recognize that our parks and outdoor spaces are precious assets used by many different groups and that there will be logistical challenges in facilitating expanded use of our outdoor civic spaces, we believe that the unprecedented circumstances posed by the pandemic on our fitness & wellness businesses require urgent and generous action.
The City has done amazing work with our local restaurants and other Kamloops businesses to find creative and effective solutions for businesses hit hard by restrictions through no fault of their own, and the Kamloops Chamber is confident that the City can also find equally effective and immediate solutions to help our fitness & wellness businesses survive as we all navigate toward the lifting of the public health restrictions.
Sincerely,
Acacia Pangilinan (she/her/hers)
Executive Director
Kamloops Chamber of Commerce