Northern Frontier Visitors Association votes to disband

The Northern Frontiers Visitors Association is no more.

Only 18 out of 100 association members ended up voting on Monday, with the final tally 11 to seven in favour of closing the organization.

The board of directors said approximately $50,000 dollars in leftover funds is likely to end up going back to the territorial government.

Board membersdeclined to comment further.

'There was a need, and there still is'

Yvonne Quick, a member of the association since 1985, has owned several businesses over the years and wasat the meeting. She said she would like to see the next visitors centre be run without government influence.

"One day the operators will realize they need an organization that speaks for them," said Quick.

"It doesn't matter what the government wants or what they don't want, or what the city wants or what they don't want. It's easy to sit in an office and make legislation but there was a need, and there still is and there will be.

"You don't want to get tied in with anybody because if you've got a program with them, you're getting the money to run and if you disagree with them you're out."

On the same day the Northern Frontier Visitors Association voted to disband, the City of Yellowknife hired new employees for a temporary Visitors Centre at City Hall.

The City's temporary Visitors Centre is expected to be open full time this week.