Abbotsford – An on line petition is going around to many Valley businesses and interested parties from the West Coast Christmas Show organizers.
The petition is titled, Save the Abbotsford Tourism Industry by Keeping Events at TRADEX.
According to organizers, the City of Abbotsford has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for other uses of TRADEX that may not include shows or events. We are calling on Mayor Henry Braun and the City of Abbotsford to keep TRADEX as an events facility.
The City of Abbotsford plans on making a decision on May 10th.
From the petition email blast:
TRADEX is the only facility of its kind in the Fraser Valley as it is the only one capable of holding large-scale, well-attended events. The next largest indoor facility has only half the space of Tradex. Almost 300,000 people attend events at TRADEX each year, which results in a direct spend of $14.8 million dollars in the Abbotsford community. These events, many of which have been at TRADEX for two decades, support hundreds of local small and family-owned businesses who live in Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley.Losing an event venue like TRADEX, that drives significant visitor spending in the fall and winter months, will handcuff many of Abbotsford’s key businesses – particularly hotels, restaurants, and retail businesses. This will be devastating to the long-term recovery of Abbotsford’s tourism and hospitality sector.
Losing TRADEX as an events venue would cause the following events to relocate to venues outside of Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley altogether:
- West Coast Women’s Show
- Vancouver Motorcycle Show
- Earlybird RV Show
- Snowbird RV Show
- BC Sportsmen’s Show
- West Coast Christmas Show
- Pet Lover Show
- Fraser Valley Home & Garden Expo
- BC Classic & Custom Car Show
- The Olde Farmhouse Vintage Market
- The Health and Wellness Show
- Pacific Agriculture Show
- Coastal Swap Meet
- Westcoast Small Home Expo
- APNA Truck Show
- MCC Festival for World Relief
- CanWest Hort Expo
- Metalworking & Manufacturing Expo
- The Convenience U CARWACS Show
- Creativ Festival WEST
- Skills Canada BC
- Volleyball BC
| You can sign Petition here |
Please note that the Change.org petition website asks for a voluntary (optional) donation, however this money is distributed as they wish, and not directed specifically to the Tradex petition. Please use your own discretion as to whether or not you wish to make a donation to Change.org.
