By Kerri Pepoy,Staff Writer

SOUTH PARIS – The Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce will relocate to a temporary site effective March 1.

The chamber will move to 4 Western Ave. in South Paris from its current location at 213 Main St. The new location will serve as its home for the next couple of years while more permanent housing options are explored, Rich Livingston, president and chief executive officer, said Monday.

Livingston said traffic congestion was a “principal reason” for the chamber’s relocation.

“The congestion here is getting more difficult for visitors to have to deal with,” he said. “We’ve also been encroaching on our neighbors, and that’s not fair.”

The new location on Western Avenue will probably be a “one- to three-year option,” said Livingston. “We have a number of long-term (housing) opportunities but it may take some time for those to materialize,” he said.

In addition to improved visibility and access, the new location will have a slightly expanded visitors center. “While it’s a little snug for our needs, it will serve us well for the next couple of years, at least,” said Livingston.

The new location is the building adjacent to the garden entrance of McLaughlin Gardens. The offices of the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments and the Small Business Development Center, housed in the chamber building, will move as well.

The chamber’s phone number, mailing address and e-mail address will remain unchanged.