CLEARFIELD – For more than 10 years, Visit Clearfield County, formerly the Clearfield County Recreation and Tourism Authority, has moved from home to home. Some places have had a more permanent feel than others; however, the goal has always been to be as accessible to the tourism public as possible.
The first location was the Multi-Service Center, the former county home on Leonard Street. The tourism authority, along with several other county offices, was forced to move out when the Clearfield County Commissioners realized that the costs of maintaining the building were getting to be beyond what they could justify. The building was sold and many offices moved to the new administrative offices.
The CCRTA found a home on North Front Street in Clearfield and was located there for several years until leasing a building on Hammermill Road near the ethanol plant and Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub. Various issued cropped up there, and the tourism authority relocated to a suite at the Alliance Park on Spruce Street and has been there for the last couple of years
Now, a new home has been chosen by the tourism authority’s board of directors and employees, and the board members hope that this will be a good home for many years to come.
Executive Director Holly Komonczi said they really wanted a location close to Interstate 80 and the hotels. The new location is in the Big Lots Plaza, next to Aaron’s. This places it close to the interstate as well as to U.S. Route 322 and the downtown as well, and it will have plenty of parking, something that has always been of concern to them.
Komonczi said the space is in need of renovations and will be built to suit with all the things that the tourism authority has been looking for. She said they wanted a big lobby allowing for displays not only of their material, but also brochures and information for partners.
Being visitor friendly is also important and the lobby will be the focus of that, she said. Komonczi said additionally, there will be a large conference area for board meetings and other meetings. And something that the employees have wanted for a long time, she said was storage access on-site for all of their brochures, tourism guides and so on.
The renovations are being done by the landlord, noted Komonczi. She said that the tourism authority will be renting the space with a 10-year lease. According to Komonczi, the lease has a five-year opt-out, meaning that if they have to move for any reason within the first five years, there will be no penalty.
Komonczi said they are really excited about their new home, and they are hoping to move in by the beginning of the year. However, she added that the move all depends on what happens with the renovations, how long they take and, of course any unplanned circumstances.