Visitor info and village hub

The Radium Hot Springs Visitor Information Centre fulfills many functions in the community

Tourism Radium, the Radium Hot Springs Visitor Information Centre and the chamber of commerce are conveniently housed in one building. — Tourism Radium photo

The Radium Hot Springs (RHS) Visitor Centre offers information about the area’s amenities, and itself offers many services. Lindsay Torma has held the position of administrative assistant at the RHS Visitor Centre for three years. The job provides her with plenty of variety, and she enjoys the upbeat nature of the centre.

“Most visitors are looking for the hot springs, hiking and biking trails or other attractions, and accommodations,” Torma said. “I do like helping people with whatever they come in for—it’s a pretty upbeat job, and it’s good and busy, especially in the summer.”

The visitor centre building also houses the RHS Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Radium, the DMO (destination marketing organization) for RHS. The proximity of these offices results in a cohesive, current and convenient package of resources for the visitor and for local residents.

The centre offers free Wi-Fi and three computers for public use. Torma said that the computers are used a lot by foreign visitors to send emails, and by locals who need help with their emails or research requirements.

Members of the chamber of commerce maintain a rack of brochures, business cards and other print material within the visitor centre, where visitors can browse through the material for an overview of the products and services available in the community.

“Lots of people stop here to ask about road conditions in Kootenay National Park, or going west through Golden (B.C.),” said Torma. “If there are highway closures, then they pretty well have to wait it out in Radium or change their plans.”

Kara Cassidy, marketing administrator for Tourism Radium, is proud of the popular wildlife exhibit in the visitor centre.

“We have educational pieces: a mountain goat, a bighorn sheep, a grizzly bear, a cougar and a loon,” Cassidy said. “We get lots of questions about the wildlife, and this shows people the difference between a sheep and a goat. The sheep are common around here, but the rest, they probably won’t see. There’s a Ktunaxa (First Nations) heritage exhibit as well; it’s a pretty incredible interpretive centre.”

Visitors can obtain information about backcountry safety, places to eat, wildlife activity, where they can shop and information about the wealth of recreational opportunities available in the vicinity of Radium Hot Springs and the Mountain Parks system.

Tourism Radium and the Radium Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce rely on the front line staff at the visitor centre to welcome, inform and engage visitors, and to help sell the community and its amenities to both guests and residents.