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Friday, June 15, 2007 Cape Breton Post

Accommodation numbers up in Cape Breton

Conventions, sporting events credited with boost to industry

Section: Cape Breton

By Nancy King, cape breton post
The occupancy rate for Cape Breton accommodations was up for the first quarter of the year over the same period last year, which one tourism official is attributing to more conventions and events.

The province released its key tourism indicators for the month of April this week.

Provincially, the total number of visitors was down two per cent year-to-date over the same period last year, and down seven per cent for the month of April, although room nights sold were up four per cent in April and two per cent for the quarter.

In Cape Breton, the occupancy rate is up 30 per cent year-to-date and 32 per cent for the month of April. The number of room nights sold on the island is up 14 per cent year-to-date, and 29 per cent for the month of April.

Sandra MacDonald, general manager of Destination Cape Breton, noted the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and Victoria County, in particular, saw a boost.

"You have to attribute that to events and sporting activities and meetings and conventions at that time of year, because most of the accommodations aren't even open," she said.

Those events include the annual Vince Ryan tournament, the Grand Slam of Curling hosted at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre, and other sports tournaments.

"All of those things are key and vital to growing the shoulder season and helping out the economy in Cape Breton," she said.

Investments made in improved facilities such the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre, the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre and the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion in Sydney are paying off, MacDonald believes.

"We have to have the infrastructure in order to have the buy-in by the bodies," she said. "It all helps to make a better product for the island."

How island tourism operators are faring in early bookings for the summer season depends on who you speak to, MacDonald said. Not much road traffic is currently being seen around the Cabot Trail or in areas such as Louisbourg which likely has a lot to do with poor weather, she added.

"It's always too early to make a prediction at this time, but some of the operators have reported that they have 70 per cent of their bookings on their books now," MacDonald said.

"We're hopeful . . . We've done a lot of promotion as far as what we can do with limited dollars and so we just hope it pays off for the industry because it is so key to the economics of Cape Breton."

Generally speaking, it's businesses which have invested in marketing campaigns that seem to be doing the best, she noted.

Municipality asked to support health, wellness complex

Staff to examine funding possibility

Section: Cape Breton

By Chris Shannon, cape breton post
A local pediatrician and senior official with Cape Breton University boasted about the benefits of a health and wellness complex in the area during a presentation to municipal politicians Thursday.

The Cape Breton Health Recreation Complex project, estimated at a cost of $12 million, would be built at Cape Breton University and include outdoor and indoor soccer facilities, a synthetic multi-lane track and a community fitness and wellness centre.

It's expected to cater to the needs of the entire community - from primary school students to the working age population, seniors, as well as those who are at risk or suffering from cardiovascular disease.

The group is encouraging the Cape Breton Regional Municipality to contribute $1 million to the project over two years, beginning in the fiscal year 2008-09.

From there, the committee set up to oversee its development will be pushing for $4 million each from the provincial and federal governments. The community will raise the remainder.

Gordon MacInnis, vice-president of finance and operations at Cape Breton University, said money first has to be secured at the municipal level before other governments come on board.

"They have demonstrated leadership on the issue of the smoking bylaw several years ago and we believe that this is very much the parallel of that," MacInnis said.

Councillors at Thursday's corporate services committee were largely in favour of the project. A motion passed unanimously for staff to look at funding the centre, which would be included in next year's budget.

Dr. Andrew Lynk, a pediatrician and member of the project's executive committee, admitted it won't be an easy task convincing people to get off the couch and turn automatically to an active lifestyle.

"With an indoor soccer facility, not only can you play soccer there but for older people, there's lawn bowling and they can walk," said Lynk, who's also a member of the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board.

He noted it won't happen overnight, but it will start a process of changing unhealthy attitudes toward diet and exercise.

The project could begin as early as the start of the 2008 construction season.