The Boreal Discovery Centre (BDC) announced June 4 that Calm Air president Gary Bell has been chosen as the chair of their fundraising committee.
A University of Manitoba graduate with a bachelor of commerce in finance, Bell has been with Calm Air since 2011 and is also chairperson of the Northern Tourism Advisory Committee.
“We are very excited to have Mr. Bell as the chair,” said acting BDC chairperson Barb Carlson in a press release. “He brings a variety of skills which will greatly increase the reach of our fundraising efforts.”
Located on the site of the old Thompson Zoo, the BDC aims to showcase northern nature to visitors and enhance environmental awareness. It provides community gardens, hosts school visits and provides recreational activities in the surrounding boreal forest.
“The centre is an important attraction for the the north,” said Bell. “This will be a ‘go-to location’ for any visitor to the area.”
The BDC intends to develop a Wolf Centre of Learning with an interpretive centre to facilitate study of wolves in Northern Manitoba.
“We’re excited by the possibilities the Boreal Discovery Centre will bring to Manitoba’s tourism landscape, as it fosters connection between visitors and our boreal region,” said Travel Manitoba CEO Colin Ferguson. “It will be an unforgettable experience for visitors as they discover the boreal region’s flora and fauna.”
The City of Thompson’s 2020 budget provides $12,000 in funding for the BDC, down from $30,000 in 2019.
“Gary Bell, promoter and advocate for the north, is a great choice for fundraising chairperson,” said Thompson Mayor Colleen Smook. “When completed, the BDC will be a major tourist attraction as well as an educational benefit for our schools and northern partners.”
