The City of Timmins was awarded the first annual President’s Award at the recent Tourism Northern Ontario Annual General Meeting and Gala.
Timmins was recognized for its resilience and dedication in rebuilding and redeveloping its tourism industry, following the closure of the Shania Twain Centre and the Timmins Underground Gold Mine Tour.
In presenting the award, Tourism Northern Ontario Acting president Paul Pepe noted that the theme of the illustration on the trophy was “together.”
“Clearly the effort that Timmins put into building its tourism industry was a group effort and we wanted to recognize that,” he said.
Accepting the award on behalf of the city was Guy Lamarche, manager of tourism, events and communications, who said he was “speechless, totally surprised and grateful to be recognized by my peers.”
“The last couple of years have been challenging for Tourism Timmins,” he said in a release. “With the sale and closure of the Shania Twain Centre and Timmins Underground Gold Mine Tour, we had to re-invent and reposition ourselves in the marketplace. Despite the challenges, I always said that the glass was half full and truly believed that once one door closed, others would open.”
Lamarche said he was grateful for council’s support and was looking forward to the long-term strategic plan for tourism for the city, which is due out in the new year.
