The Porter County Convention, Recreation and Visitors Commis-sion will now be commonly known as Indiana Dunes Tourism.

The PCCRVC board approved for the new name on Tuesday, which will be used for the tourism commission’s Doing Business As name. Porter County Convention, Recre-ation and Visitors Commission will be retained as the organization’s legal title according to state statute.

Executive Director Lorelei Weimer said the staff decided to use a new name because very few people know what a visitor commission or bureau is, and it was not resonating with them. The tourism commission wanted a name that would summarize what it does which is marketing destinations in Porter County.

“A lot of people outside of Northwest Indiana have no idea where Porter County is. It’s a hindrance to us because we want people to know where we are located,” said Weimer.

Weimer said the International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus have changed their name to the Destination Marketing Organization to give a better impression of what it sets out to do, which is what cued the county tourism commission to consider a new name.

The PCCRVC board was given a survey if they would like to see a new DBA and what name it would be.

Five out of the eight members said they would like to see the name be Indiana Dunes Tourism.

Weimer said the majority of the Indiana Dunes National Park is in Porter County and that the name Indiana Dunes Tourism would resonate much more with people in the external marketplace while still representing Porter County.

The name will be used on new activity and planning guides produced by the tourism commission and also the new website that is scheduled to launch later this year.

The board was scheduled to view features for the new website which the tourism commission is developing with VERB Interactive, but the presentation was dropped due to lack of time. Weimer said they will try the presentation again at the April 22 meeting. Marketing Director Becky Fox, however, gave the board a view of the current website which already has seen changes to its aesthetic color schemes.

PCCRVC board president Jeff Good suggested that the website be “easy” for site users who want to find where these destinations are or simply book a room.

“The consumer wants to be able to quickly navigate through the site,” said Good. “We need some connectivity that leads you through it.”

Fox did hint that the new website would connect users with tourism commission’s profile pages on social media sites such as Facebook.

The web address is www.indianadunes.com

Landscape Architect James Perkins provided the board a summary of his plans for fixing up the “wild” areas around the front of the visitor center. Perkins said Yard Bird Landscaping, as part of phase one, will first remove all the invasive species of plants and, in its place, plant various perennials, grasses and ferns starting in April.

Perkins said plans are set to conduct another part of the phase in the fall, sprucing up the landscape along the building’s backside.

Weimer said the total cost of phase 1 would be approximately $30,000, with $15,796 shelled out for the spring improvements.

PCCRVC board member Mitch Peters asked why landscaping was split between the spring and fall instead of all at once. Good responded that he and the staff decided for the project not to be a “daunting task” and that the plan is more likely to be manageable installing it at two different times of the year.

“I don’t want to see it go down the tubes,” said Good.

The board unanimously approved the $30,000 for phase one and agreed to pay Yard Bird Landscaping to keep the plants maintained and watered throughout the summer months. The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has an agreement with the tourism bureau to pay 50% of the maintenance.

Phase two will begin next year focusing on the island area east of the building.

In a similar issue, the board approved a motion to find a solution to the visitor center’s leaky roof. PCCRVC attorney Dave Hollenbeck said architect Bob Gerometta discovered cracks in the fiberglass coating of the roof and suggested that a rubber wrap be placed around it.

The board decided to have original contractors Carlyle and Babilla Roofers evaluate and place the wrap with a 10-year warranty for material and workmanship.

•The tourism commission reported the Dunes-Kankakee Project is progressing. The Indiana Department of Transportation will start constructing protected pathways on bridges over U.S. 20 and U.S. 12 with a May 2011 completion date. Weimer said the Regional Development Authority has given the Town of Porter funds to construct bridge projects.

•Transportation Enhancement Funds are hoped to be secured to pave the Calumet Trail from Mineral Springs Road to Ind. 49 and eventually to County Line Road in LaPorte County.

•An additional appropriation of $150,000 has been set for the Beyond the Beach Discovery Trail. The Lake Michigan Coastal Fund has awarded a matching grant up to a total of $75,000 for the project. The project aims to be completed before the grant expires in December 2010.