(Image Credit: CFJC Today / Kent Simmonds)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

BCLC HEADQUARTERS

Recent hires, and renovation progress building confidence in promise to keep BCLC headquarters in Kamloops

Jan 19, 2020 | 10:01 AM

KAMLOOPS — Plans to build a brand new BC Lottery Corporation headquarters in Kamloops were scrapped last year, however the City of Kamloops still has confidence BCLC’s head office won’t be going anywhere.

Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian says recent conversations have assured him the headquarters for one of the city’s larger employers won’t be going anywhere.

“I’ve been in contact with Greg Moore – the interim CEO of BCLC and have been assured from him, just as I was from Jim Lightbody, that Kamloops is, and will remain the headquarters for BCLC.”

The BC Government’s promise to keep BCLC in Kamloops was backed with Friday’s (Jan. 17) announcement of Peter ter Weeme named as the new Vice President of Social Purpose and Stakeholder Engagement. The lotteries executive will be based full time in the city.

During a visit to Kamloops on Thursday (Jan. 16), Attorney General David Eby told CFJC Today the NDP government is staying the course and trying to make sure BCLC keeps a focus on Kamloops.

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“We’ve increased the number of employees in Kamloops, and we’re currently in a hiring process for more executives at BCLC to replace people who have left. And those folks- there’s a real emphasis on finding people either willing to come to Kamloops, or who are already in Kamloops.”

Concerns about a potential HQ move were raised after it was announced that BCLC would not have a new building constructed, and instead would make improvements to the aging facility. Last week, Eby says he went in to get a firsthand update on renovations at the Kamloops facility, and spoke with employees.

“Because our government is committed to keeping BCLC here. And I communicated that very clearly to the employees, management, and certainly to the community here.”

Renovations will be largely internal to accommodate additional employees and update working conditions, but Christian says the BC Lottery Corporation is also working with the city to improve the streetscape on the west end.

“I want to have some talks with them about landscaping in and around that building,” he explains,” And in particular as we complete the West Victoria Street Improvement Project, I want to make sure that isn’t going to be an industrial site – I want that to be a welcoming gateway to downtown Kamloops.”

While a new lotteries building won’t be in the near future, when asked whether a teaming up for a joint project to build a new BCLC headquarters and city hall would be possible, the Mayor says the City of Kamloops hasn’t ruled out that idea.

“They have certainly some security requirements with the nature of their business that is unique and wouldn’t necessarily fit well with people coming in to pay parking tickets,” he says, “So we have to sort that kind of thing out, but we’re not closed to the idea of a whole project on this precinct.”