Devin:

Welcome to another episode of Kitimat, What's the Future, brought to you by Cedar, LNG. My name is Devin. I'm your host for this show. I'm joined today by the two summer students working up here at the Kitimat Chamber of Commerce, working with the tourism department. Ladies, thank you for joining me. Michaela and Devin, introduce yourselves.

Michaela:

Hi, I'm Michaela. It's my third year working here for the summer and I'm excited to get back into the community.

Devon:

I'm Devon. I'm also excited to do this. I'm friends with Michaela, so we are already working really well together. It's my first time in this position, but I'm picking it up pretty quick and it's been really fun.

Speaker 2:

What are you taking in school?

Michaela:

I go to school at Alberta University of the Arts, and my major is illustration and character design.

Devon:

Design.

Michaela:

We do a lot of concept art design. I take some graphic design classes. I'm not a graphic designer, but I do do that, and it's a lot of fun. I really enjoy it.

Devin:

How about yourself?

Michaela:

Yeah, I've already done a year and a little bit at a previous school in Vancouver. Wasn't quite the direction I was looking for. I'm also doing the arts, and I'm actually going to be joining Michaela as well at Calgary Arts School there. I haven't quite chosen a major yet because I just like to dabble in a little of everything. I'm indecisive in that way, but primarily character design, illustrating, just all sorts of things. I'll do commissions and stuff like that.

Devin:

Excellent, so lots of creativity, and speaking of creativity, I've seen your guys' barriers down in the mall parking lot there. Fantastic job you guys have done on those. Tell me a little bit more about those.

Michaela:

Yeah, I was actually the one that did them for the most part with the help of our Events Coordinator, Mercedes. We wanted to get some local wildflowers going on and just brighten up the appearance of our night market. That's what they're being used for. They're Lupine flowers, as well as the leaves and stuff.

Devin:

Excellent. Well, they look really good. Now the night market, you guys have done about what three so far?

Michaela:

Two so far.

Devin:

Two so far, and how's that going?

Devon:

It's been pretty good. We've had a lot of people turning up and just vendors in general. A lot of really cool local artists with just a variety of different things. We have some people doing the Devil's Club, walking sticks, and other memorabilia kind of stuff out of that because that's found around in our bushes a lot, so it's kind of a local sourced and stuff as well as jewelry, some glass, some metal. We actually have a little girl who's saving up for school. She's 12 maybe, and she's making little bracelets and jewelry out of like pop can tabs and it's actually really neat stuff like that.

Devin:

Oh, excellent. Now, if somebody wants to get involved with the night market, if they want to have a table, if they want to be a vendor, how can they do that?

Devon:

It's on the chamber website.

Michaela:

Yes.

Devon:

It's basically, you just kind of sign up, it'll have it, I think it's at the top depending on the timing, but there is a space for market registrations and if you're a member of the chamber, you get a discounted price. Otherwise, I believe it's 21 after taxes for a certain day.

Michaela:

Yes.

Devon:

You select the day on the website, you can pay online or in person and if you pay online, you kind of get that reserved spot. You don't have to worry as much.

Devin:

Excellent. Now, obviously you guys are from Kitimat, but you went away for a while for school.

Devon:

Yeah.

Devin:

What's your favorite part about coming back to Kitimat? What's your favorite kind of tourism activity that you do in Kitimat?

Michaela:

I'm a pretty avid hiker and being in Calgary, there's not a lot of nature, so every time I come home it's like straight to the woods. I miss it so much, so it's great being home.

Devon:

I'm more of the need to go outside sort, which is where we get along so well. I need to go outside. She likes to go outside, so she'll drag me outside and it is fun. There's a lot of the nature hikes. It is beautiful. Another of my artistic passions is photography, so every time we go out I'll try and bring my camera. I get some really cool shots. It's just beautiful, the trails and it's very naturey, beautiful nature here.

Devin:

Nature is-

Speaker 2:

That is definitely one of the best parts about Kitimat. Now, obviously with having you guys here, that means there's lots going on in tourism. Can you tell me a little bit more about what you guys have going on this summer?

Michaela:

We've opened up our summer hours, first of all, so we're open on weekends 10:30 to six. We're not usually open that long during the summer. We are renting out kayaks, paddleboards, and mountain bikes for the summer, and those are a lot of fun. They're great. We've taken them out a few times ourselves. We're trying to get more involved with social media, so Instagram, Facebook. We've started a TikTok.

Devon:

We'll see how that goes, but we're trying.

Michaela:

We have been doing surveys at campsites, so we'll go to Radley Park, Hirsch Creek, MK Bay, and just get a feel for what campers are thinking about our community and how can we improve the campsites, that sort of thing, and we just make sure all our local businesses are updated, they have all our tourism guides, so newcomers know what to do while they're here, know where to go.

Devon:

We're visiting the work camps, so LNG, New Horizon. We're visiting the camps for workers that are coming at LNG, Civeo, and Horizon. Basically, kind of just keeping track of whose interested and answering any questions that some of the workers may have about what there is to do in Kitimat while they're here for work. All the camps, they do have some pretty cool stuff over there, but-

Michaela:

Kind of try to draw them into Kitimat-

Devin:

Excellent.

Michaela:

... tourism.

Devin:

Now, what has your favorite part been? Still the beginning of summer, I don't think it's officially summer yet, but what has your favorite part been about being a summer student with tourism?

Devon:

Honestly, just going out in the community. It's not as stagnant as other jobs that I've worked at where it's basically, you come in, you do this job, and you go. It's very kind of free, almost like you get in touch with the community, you're talking with people, so that's bonus points for me, get some practice in, and there's a lot of creative aspects. You've mentioned the barriers, and we're doing the float for Canada Day, and it's just an chance to put my art into use during work hours and not just as a hobby. That's probably my favorite part.

Michaela:

Yeah, you kind of stole my points. Honestly. I love our staff. Laurel, Sandy and Mercedes, they're wonderful people. I just really enjoy working with them. It's the reason I've been back every year, but-

Devon:

The reason I'll be back next year.

Devin:

Excellent.

Devon:

Hopefully.

Devin:

Well, excellent. No, that's fantastic. Now, Canada Day is coming up. Do you guys have anything going on for Canada Day?

Michaela:

We're going to be involved in the parade. We've got a float going. Some of our directors are going to be marching and handing out probably candy and things.

Devon:

The theme is Canadian sports.

Michaela:

Yes.

Devon:

All Canadian sports, different floats. Different companies will have different ideas because we're tourism and it's very heavily on our nature and hiking trails and cycling and kayaking. Like we've said, we do the rentals. That's kind of where ideas are bouncing off for that, so we're excited to get started on that one.

Devin:

Excellent. Now, now you mentioned that time you guys do have some rentals. If people want to rent this equipment, how do they get in contact with you guys?

Michaela:

Of course, you can come into the visitor center or you can give us a call or you can email our tourism coordinator at tourism@kitimatchamber.ca.

Devin:

Excellent. Well, thank you very much for taking your guys' time out of your busy, busy schedule to talk with me on this episode. Thank you again.

Michaela:

Thanks for having us.

Devon:

Thank you.

Devin:

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