Merrittonian Rick Martindale is hoping to bring Merritt to the Rockin’ River Country Music Festival in more ways than one this year.

Martindale and fellow Merritt resident Rob Miller are currently working on a project called Merritt City Limits, which involves promoting Merritt by having an information centre at the festival grounds and shuttle bus service to the site when the country music festival gets underway this July.

“The premise is that instead of trying to get 10,000 people to come in and see Merritt, we’ll take Merritt out to them,” Martindale told the Herald.

The project involves erecting a large western-themed wood facade that will be set up at the festival with tents and other booths behind it that will contain representatives promoting various Merritt amenities to festivalgoers.

He said he’s only had “loose conversations” so far with organizations that would make up these representatives.

Martindale says he’s received permission from the festival to place this setup on site.

Additionally, Martindale plans to have shuttle buses in operation during the festival that will bring people to and from the local hotels, Kelowna and Kamloops to the festival site with potential stops at local businesses.

The shuttle services will be funded by bus ticket sales, Martindale said.

The information centre is designed to be an annual activity, which could be utilized at other locations and events, he said.

The project is expected to cost approximately $10,000, which includes building materials and construction costs of the facade.

Martindale requested a matching grant of between $2,500 minimum and $5,000 maximum for the project from city council contingent upon whether or not he could drum up the other funds from other partners and sponsors.

He said this project doesn’t hinge on whether or not the City of Merritt provides a matching grant to fund the services.

“But then it relies on what [funding] I’m capable of raising on my own,” Martindale said.

Council hasn’t decided whether or not they will provide funding yet.

Martindale estimates the costs to maintain the project in future years to be about $3,500 per year.