Tourism season officially kicks off in Prescott-Russell

The United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR) are officially open for business - tourism business, that is.

The counties celebrated the official kick-off of the 2010 tourism season in Prescott-Russell on Friday, May 28 with the opening of a brand new tourism information centre (TIC) in Limoges.

Located off 417 at exit 79 to Limoges, the centre will provide visitors with a place to find information about all the interesting tourist attractions located in the united counties.

As part of the kick-off and official opening, numerous tourist organizations, attractions and local businesses were on hand to showcase their wares and services and enjoy a delicious lunch featuring locally grown and produced food.

Bruno Lecot, spokesperson for the 2011 International Plowing Match (IPM) and Rural Expo, set to take place in Chute-à-Blondeau, served as master of ceremonies for the event.

"The opening of this new TIC opens a window on our beautiful tourist region," he commented. "It is the perfect location for visitors to come and learn about the numerous tourist attractions and businesses we have in Prescott and Russell. This truly is the place to be in 2010."

The TIC is the result of a dedicated partnership between the Prescott-Russell Tourism Association (PRTA), the UCPR, municipalities, volunteers and other organizations, who worked many long hours to make the project a reality.

The Nation Mayor Denis Pommainville said he was proud to have the TIC in his municipality and commended everyone for their hard work.

"Our staff and council went above and beyond the call of duty to make this dream a reality," he remarked. "The vision put forward by everyone involved in this project has evolved into a tremendous accomplishment."

Pommainville was quick to point out the TIC's close proximity to Calypso Park, which is being billed as the largest theme waterpark in Canada. The park is set to open on Monday, June 7 and is expected to attract some 350,000 visitors this season.

"That means there is the potential for 350,000 people to visit our TIC here," Pommainville stated. "That means 350,000 people coming to our counties to see what we have to offer. We all play a vital role in the success of tourism in Prescott and Russell. I want everyone who visits this TIC to leave with a smile on their face and a longing to come back in the future."

Glengarry-Prescott-Russell MP Pierre Lemieux was also on hand to celebrate the tourism season kick-off and noted that the federal government provided a $75,000 grant to the TIC project through the FedDev program.

In addition, he noted, a $13,900 grant was provided to hire four students to work at the TIC for the summer.

"Today may be a sunny day here in Prescott and Russell, but it's raining money," Lemieux joked. "[The TIC] is a welcoming platform that will ensure visitors are able to appreciate the natural beauty of this area while taking advantage of the numerous tourist attractions we have to offer."

Casselman Mayor and UCPR Warden Conrad Lamadeleine said he was feeling nostalgic during the official opening because "so much has changed in the 20 years since I've been on council."

"Twenty years ago, we never would have thought tourism development was a possibility," he stated. "There was no funding for tourism, and honestly, most mayors didn't feel it was a priority."

Today, Lamadeleine said, things have changed and every mayor within the UCPR views tourism as a top priority.

"There is so much to discover here and every single mayor is on board to make sure this region is known for tourism," he commented.

Claude Leclair, president of the PRTA, was the final speaker and he made a point of thanking everyone involved in the project for their dedication, commitment, perseverance and belief in the project.

At the end of the ceremony, The Nation proudly hoisted its brand new flag, which flies alongside the Canadian, Ontario and Quebec flags posted beside the TIC. An official ribbon cutting ceremony took place, after which each mayor was asked to ceremoniously add their municipality's name to a map that shows which areas will be represented and highlighted by the TIC.