Some Penticton businesses said they wish there was more communication about triathlon-related road closures prior to the events this week.

Two businesses, in particular, note that while they support holding the in Penticton and acknowledge that road closures are an inevitable product of the event, they were hit harder from the closures than expected over the weekend.

91裸聊视频淭he event on Saturday, yes, did disrupt our business, and in future more communication from the city is extremely helpful,91裸聊视频� said Jacquie Carlson with Poplar Grove Winery, who added that she does see the event as a positive for the city.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 no secret that all three of our businesses were closed last Saturday, which of course, being an agri-tourism business, has a considerable impact on one of the busiest weekends of our tourism season.91裸聊视频�

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Being the middle of August, Carlson said weekends this time of year are the bread and butter that keeps the industry moving through the slower winter months.

Lyndie Hill, with Hoodoo Adventures, said the biggest hit to her business was the fact that the closure of their block was only expected to last until 10 a.m. In reality, the road remained closed until 4:30 p.m.

91裸聊视频淲e contacted the organizers and they got back to us right away and apologized and assured us that the schedule would be followed from here on in,91裸聊视频� Hill said, noting some unexpected things apparently came up on Saturday.

Both Hill and Carlson said they aren91裸聊视频檛 looking to complain about the event, but hope to add to the positive aspects of holding such a large event in the city by mitigating the negative impacts.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e also had people here visit our business from all over the world, because that91裸聊视频檚 the type of business that we have, where we get them outside experiencing the things that we have in Penticton,91裸聊视频� Hill said.

91裸聊视频淲hen they91裸聊视频檙e busy and tied up with their race, they91裸聊视频檙e focused on their race, that (business) suffered, but as soon as they have a day off, they91裸聊视频檙e coming in and utilizing the things that we have.91裸聊视频�

While the ITU planning committee did hold an event for businesses early in the year, Carlson suggested the group hold something specific for businesses affected by the road closures, a proposition that Hill agreed would have helped.

91裸聊视频淭here could have been more direct communication with the businesses, and I know with that meeting, too, there was a lot of businesses that didn91裸聊视频檛 know about it or know that it was specifically for that,91裸聊视频� Hill said, adding that she feels while event organizers are busy with planning a race, the city should step up to communicate issues with businesses.

City of Penticton CAO Peter Weeber said the city has tended to leave communications on events like this up to the event organizers, adding that road closures have been posted 91裸聊视频渇or quite some time.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭he mapping, the routes, it91裸聊视频檚 not like they91裸聊视频檝e been a secret,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淢y feeling, based on what I91裸聊视频檝e experienced here since the beginning of the year at different events, not just this event, is that we need to do a better job of communicating with our customers, the ones who pay the bills, like the residents and the businesses.91裸聊视频�

Weeber said organizers did contact businesses directly along the routes closed due to races happening this week.

91裸聊视频淭o what level? I don91裸聊视频檛 know, but I think we as a city need to be a little bit more involved in those notifications,91裸聊视频� Weeber said. 91裸聊视频淎ll that information91裸聊视频檚 on our website, but I think, initially, I think we need to be in contact with businesses and residents that are being impacted. Do I think this is a huge problem? I think it91裸聊视频檚 an inconvenience.91裸聊视频�

Weeber said the city 91裸聊视频渨ill do a better job91裸聊视频� next year when events similar to the ITU crop up again. But Weeber said he hasn91裸聊视频檛 received a single complaint regarding the closures.

Weeber said event organizers need to be holding those events like the one proposed by Carlson, while the city gets involved in direct messaging to businesses through organizations like the Downtown Penticton Association.

91裸聊视频淚t doesn91裸聊视频檛 matter how much messaging 91裸聊视频� I could paint this in the clouds and 25 per cent of the people wouldn91裸聊视频檛 see it,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淏ut I don91裸聊视频檛 think we91裸聊视频檙e doing as good of a job as we could.91裸聊视频�

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dustin.godfrey@pentictonwesternnews.com
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