Owen Sound City Council has approved an extension of the pilot project that saw Visitor Services relocated from the Community Waterfront Heritage Centre (CWHC) earlier this year.
At their October 21 meeting, Council received a report from Melissa Crannie, Tourism Marketing Coordinator, inside the Service Review Implementation Ad Hoc Committee minutes from October 9, 2024. Council approved recommendations that the City continue the pilot of ‘Tourism at the TOM’ and direct staff to report on alternative uses for the space previously used by Tourism at the CWHC.
Crannie reported that visitor volume “surged” in 2024, to 14,324 visitors from May to September, with August seeing a record high of 4,013 visitors in the new location at the Art Gallery. This represents a 33% year-over-year increase.
The City conducted a survey to collect public feedback on Visitor Services in its new location. Of the 26 respondents:
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56.5% – 14 people – had actually visited the new location
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30% – less than 5 people – were seeking tourism information
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65% were satisfied with the services provided by staff
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30% found suitable parking
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Less than 70% said they were likely to recommend Visitor Services in this location
Parking issues and confusion caused by the shared front reception desk were highlighted as key challenges for visitors. Even so, Aidan Ware, the Director and Curator of the Tom Thomson Art Gallery, reported that gallery staff have not received any complaints about parking.
An internal re-alignment in early 2023 moved Tourism and Events under Ware’s purview as head of the Tom Thomson Art Gallery and now all things arts, culture, and tourism.
In early September, Ware reported to the City’s Tom Thomson Art Gallery Advisory Committee that the gallery was operating at a deficit of $52,146. Committee members questioned the 65% growth in gallery attendance in that September report, leading to clarification from the Operations Director that the counter used to register visitors at the gallery counts every time a person passes it by, including staff.
Ware was again questioned about the accuracy of visitor figures in the October 9 Service Review Committee meeting. This time, she advised that the number of visitors to the Gallery can be verified because staff manually count visitors, in addition to the laser counters at front doors and in exhibition spaces.
According to Crannie’s report, creating the joint reception space to incorporate Visitor Services into the Art Gallery lobby cost approximately $10,000, which was funded from the Events Reserve account.
The City also updated signage at the Marine & Rail Museum and local roads to redirect visitors from the old location to the Gallery, distributed maps and rack cards, and promoted the new location through paid social media advertising.
Tim Simmonds, City Manager, advised the Service Review Committee that continuing the pilot for another full year will “show true impact” by allowing for the collection of another season of data and adjusting the survey.