LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - Fort Simpson's chamber of commerce which has been dormant for nearly a year is showing signs of renewed life.

Six residents stepped forward during the chamber's annual general meeting on Feb. 23 to fill seats on the board. A list of projects were also drafted to help the organization raise its profile while once again promoting village businesses.

Kirby Groat, the chamber's past president who was re-acclaimed to the position, said the meeting left him feeling very optimistic about the chamber's future. Groat was joined on the board by Ted Grant as the vice-president and Angela Fiebelkorn as the secretary and treasurer. The chamber's directors now include Colin Muntro, Pat Rowe, Brenda Allaire and Mark Gerlock.

"Everyone is so optimistic about the future; maybe it's just the right time for our chamber in Fort Simpson," Groat said.

To continue the momentum from the meeting the chamber will be focusing on three projects, the first of which is the tourism radio.

Six years ago Fort Simpson had a repeating tourism information broadcast on the FM band. It played a 30 minute recording featuring information on the area and ads for local businesses.

"I think it was quite effective," Groat said.

For a fee, Daniel Allaire, a local resident, will be making new ads for businesses to include on the new looped broadcast. Every business in the village will be contacted about the opportunity, Groat said.

The chamber is also turning to print media to promote the village. The Fort Simpson visitors' guidebook, which is currently in its third edition, will be updated and re-printed as the chamber's second project.

The guidebooks have been very popular to date, he said.

A new website is the chamber's third focus. The plan is to use the site to draw attention to local businesses and provide a forum for people to direct comments and ideas to the chamber.

"You need the input from the people," Groat said.

The chamber also plans to address Deh Cho regional issues. During the meeting, Colin Munro asked if the territorial government is making any progress on Highway 7 - the Liard Trail.

The state of the highway is hurting the tourism industry in both the Deh Cho and the rest of the NWT, Groat said.

"You cannot tell anyone with a motor-home to drive down that road," he said.

Tour bus traffic has also dropped to zero buses from approximately six buses a year as a result of the road conditions, he added.

Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche, who was one of 15 people at the meeting, volunteered to draft a petition asking the territorial government to improve the highway.

The chamber will also push the government to finish the chipsealing Highway 1 as far as Checkpoint, said Groat.

Ann Marie Tout, the president of the NWT Chamber of Commerce, who was also in attendance, thanked Groat for his work in keeping the Fort Simpson chamber alive and encouraged business owners to stay active.

"We're right on the cusp of so many things happening," said Tout.

"We need, as a business community, to make our voices heard."

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