2012-03-15-TOUR2-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Lexington Tourism Committee Minutes of the meeting of March 15, 2012 at 4 p.m. Present: Dawn McKenna, Colin Smith, Maureen Rynn, Carla Fortmann, Mary Jo Bohart, John Patrick, George Burnell, Denise Ricketts, Pat Costello, Fred Johnson, Kerry Brandin, Paul Ross, Susan Bennett Visitors Center Public Information Meeting The purpose of the session was to discuss the programmatic needs for the Visitors Center building, and to have some conversations regarding the role of the Visitors Center in the context of other offerings throughout the Town. Comments from all were recorded, whether or not there was agreement on those issues and are listed in no particular order. The comments can be categorized to several areas: adequate bathroom, design issues, tourism issues, cultural programs and how entities work together. Here are the points raised at the meeting: • What is the program taking place at the Visitors Center? • Should be highlighting local businesses. • Do we have the correct number of bathroom stalls for busloads of 55, or multiple busloads? • What is the usage time? Are the lines waiting for the bathroom acceptable? Is this even an issue? • Staff at the Visitors Center has received some feedback from guests that the restroom is the cleanest public restroom they have used on their journey. • Currently, the existing design requires people to cut through the center of the building to reach the bathroom. This impacts other uses of the center. New design should segregate the bathrooms away from other activities. • We should not be designing a building for peak usage as it might be overdesign. Look at peak, moderate, and low usage times and then design what is reasonable. • Having other programming in the Center helps with peak bathroom needs as it gives people something to do when waiting to use the bathroom, rather than focusing on the wait time. • The "vending" area described is more of a hospitality area then a "vending" area. Perhaps should be reflected as a seating area. • Should local eateries have an area to sell their goods as a way of attracting potential new customers? • In what ways might we collect data from the people who use the Visitors Center? Consider ways other than staff to do so, especially during the peak tourist season. • We should continue and enhance current efforts to cultivate cultural (local repeat) tourists. • November — March there is a strong need for local, interactive programs. • Each organization needs to see the others, including the Town efforts, as working to broaden offerings, not as competition. Places like Williamsburg that have multiple options for visitors have proven this concept. 1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE • LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02420