The destination brand committee of the Gimli Chamber of Commerce has earned three tourism industry award nominations this year for the visually spectacular winter wonderland it created last year on Lake Winnipeg.
The committee created an Is Porp (Icelandic for ice village) that linked anglers’ fishing shacks outside Gimli Harbour to an icy fun zone inside the harbour that included a meandering skating rink, spectacular snow sculptures, lighting for nighttime skating or romancing under the stars, and a light tunnel installation.
Committee chair Cheryl Buhler said she and her committee colleagues, Kim Giesbrecht and Julianna Roberts, are thrilled to have been recognized for their work on the ice village and the success they had in drawing more visitors to Gimli in what’s typically a less busy winter season.
“We’re very happy that Gimli is being recognized for the efforts made year after year to bring tourists and visitors to our beautiful community, particularly in our shoulder season, which runs from Oct. to April. That’s what we’ve been working on for years,” said Buhler.
Travel Manitoba nominated the destination brand committee for a Business Event Award from the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC). The TIAC award recognizes an event that has “enhanced the profile/awareness and appeal of the destination they are held in, as well as created economic impact, increased visitation, and community involvement.”
Travel Manitoba also nominated the destination brand committee for an Event of the Year Award, its own award that’s presented to organizations that host an event, festival or gala that make a “substantial economic impact within the local community and creates an outstanding experience for attendees.”
In addition to Gimli’s ice village, Holiday Alley in Selkirk and the Morden Corn & Apple Festival were nominated for the award.
The Interlake Tourism Association, a non-profit organization that showcases sites across the Interlake and helps with promotion and marketing and networking opportunities, nominated the destination brand committee for an Interlake Tourism Marketing Campaign of the Year Award.
To further enhance the ice village this year, the Westshore Community Foundation, which provides grants to local and area organizations for a range of projects, provided the destination brand committee with a grant of $7,000.
Buhler spoke about the enhancements the committee will make this year to the ice village during Westshore’s donor appreciation and bursary award evening on Oct. 6, and thanked the foundation and its donors for their support.
“This year with the assistance of the Westshore Community Foundation, we have partnered with the grade 11 and 12 woodworking class [at Gimli High School] to add a community warming hut and 10 benches for visitors to rest or stop and take in the beauty of winter all around them,” she said. “We’ll also be adding more lights to the lake.” said Buhler.
Award winners will be announced on Oct. 19 at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (Travel Manitoba) and on Oct. 28 at Larters Golf & Country Club (Interlake Tourism Association).
