Dome building, Elkhorn resort benefit from federal funding

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This article was published 18/02/2023 (1016 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Westman resort and a Brandon historical organization have been granted funding of more than half a million dollars from the federal government.

The money comes from the Tourism Relief Fund, which was created by the Liberal government to help businesses and non-profit organizations in the tourism sector rebound from the pandemic.

Under the TRF, $500 million was made available for recipients across Canada. In Manitoba, $3,066,721 was allocated to eight businesses and organizations for improvements to attract more domestic and international visitors.

The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba will receive $102,000, and $500,000 will go toward the Elkhorn Resort, Spa and Conference Centre, north of Brandon.

The focus of the funding for the Provincial Exhibition will be on the historic Dome Building that houses business offices as well as rental space for events ranging from catered weddings to craft sales. It was constructed to host the Dominion Fair in 1913 and is the only building of its kind in existence. General manager Mark Humphries said they are excited beyond belief.

“Tourism is an economic driver for everybody. We might not be a beach, or have a permanent theme park, but we are certainly drawing people from all over the world to our shows like the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, so we believe we’ve ticked all the boxes of tourism,” said Humphries.

As a non-profit, the Provincial Exhibition applied for and was granted a non-repayable contribution, which it will use to construct a patio area at the east end of the Dome, usable for those who rent the facility for special occasions.

“We want to keep the building fresh and inviting and this allows us to spill out of the room in the summer onto a patio area, making it a more attractive place for people to hire and come and see.”

The funding for the Elkhorn Resort, Spa and Conference Centre will help complete construction of a new Nordic spa.

Nordic spas are popular in Scandinavia, offering hydrotherapy which takes clients from extremely hot to extremely cold temperatures. The treatment claims to strengthen the immune system and soothe aches and pains.

Construction has already started at Elkhorn Resort, said general manager Chris Phillips, even though they applied for an interest-free loan under the TRF program about a year ago.

Once complete, the Nordic spa at Elkhorn Resort will be the fourth in Canada, joining others in Winnipeg, Ontario and Alberta. Phillips said it’s going to help cast a wide and helpful net to other tourist operators in and around Clear Lake.

“Our research into Nordic spa suggests that 70 per cent of clients are day-trippers and not necessarily guests of the hosting hotel. So, it’s going to be a big boon to tourism up here, other operators we’ve spoken to are thrilled,” said Phillips.

With the money comes timelines set by Ottawa. Humphries said the Provincial Exhibition must have a construction plan in place by the end of March and hopes to have the project finished by the end of July.

At Elkhorn, there are four new pools to be added, as well as three new buildings for a steam and dry sauna and relaxation room. Phillips expects completion by fall.

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com