PORT TOWNSEND — The new Visitors Information Center, located at the Haines Place Park and Ride, is expected to open next week.
Rod Davis, the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce director, plans to move into the building on Jan. 15 and put an open sign on the building.
“The rest of the operations won’t come in until sometime in February,” Davis said.
“To get new signage up [on Sims Way] you have to actually open up the building, so I will be here to officially be open.”
Davis expects all of the Chamber of Commerce’s operations, along with all visitor information, to be housed in the new manufactured building by the end of February.
Currently, the two operations are spread out between the top floor of the Frontier Bank at 2200 W. Sims Way in Port Townsend and the current Visitors Information Center at Sims Way and Jefferson Street.
Offices for Chamber employees, a conference room and a large, open entrance area for all of the town’s visitor information, all will be housed in the brand-new building at the park and ride.
Additional parking
“One of the reasons for putting this here is to have people park their cars here,” Davis said.
“That way it gets them downtown without having to worry about parking.”
Davis said he plans to have a “validation system” in which visitors can have their bus fares reimbursed by the chamber if they present receipts from their visits downtown.
“If you spend a little money in town, then we’ll give you your buck back,” Davis said.
“Hopefully, that will make it easier to get people downtown to shop.”
The drawback to the new location is that the visitors center is no longer positioned along the entrance to town.
“[The state Department of Transportation] said we had to open before we could actually get the new signs up along Sims Way showing people where to go,” Davis said.
“So I am going to open up and answer questions for anyone who comes in so we can get the new signs as soon as possible.”
The building will be outfitted with new desks, tables, chairs and computers, Davis said.
“This is going to be the first place people see when they come to town,” he said.
“We want it to look nice, new and comfortable.”
Another advantage of the new building will be wireless Internet.
Davis said visitors to both the building and the park and ride will be able to use the free wireless connection.
“We’re serving two different generations,” he said.
“Those who want to come and get the information get the story and see the town.
“Also, a technically upward generation who are younger and who want to see the history but keep connected on their phones or computers, we are serving both here.”
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsula dailynews.com.
