If everything goes as planned, the Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce will open tomorrow in a new location. It’s moving to the Illinois Valley Community College Ottawa Center. Executive Director Jeff Hettrick says there’s less office space than what the Chamber’s leaving on the fourth floor of the First Federal Savings Bank building. That required some downsizing, like getting rid of some furniture and extra copies of old materials.
The Chamber plans a Business Before Hours from 7:30am to 9am and a ribbon cutting for the new location at 8am on Thursday, February 2. The Chamber has done such things for businesses in Ottawa for many years. Doing them for the Chamber itself presents a dilemma. Hettrick says he’s not sure the Chamber should give itself a certificate of congratulations on the move.
WCMY file photo of the IVCC Ottawa Center. The Ottawa Chamber of Commerce will open in office space inside this building Tuesday, January 17, 2023.