A zero budget increase and plans for an enhanced RetroFest were key items at last week’s annual general meeting of the Downtown Chatham Business Improvement Association.
BIA chairman Paul Shettell said the levy on downtown property remains at $80,000.
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“We’re doing more with less thanks to a strong board and excellent effort from Connie (Beneteau), our manager,” he said.
Beneteau said RetroFest will be growing with entertainment, as more rides will be brought in to Tecumseh Park.
“We have an incredible base with the car show but we thought we would be able to broaden the appeal for families with smaller children by expanding the number of rides,” she said. “The BIA will still be sponsoring the bumper cars but there will be some cost if people choose to have their children on other rides.”
Shettell said the BIA remains active in a number of ways not always noticed by the general community.
“We’re involved in the Age Friendly Board, FireFest, Canada Day, the Santa Claus parade and various tourism groups,” he said. “Some people think we’re just RetroFest but we work all year long, often behind the scenes.”
He pointed to the recent success of the BIA’s Shop the Neighbourhood program from which many retailers received benefits.
On that day some local merchants were among 3,400 businesses that registered in more than 320 communities, providing shoppers with deals on local purchases.
He said the future of BIAs might be an issue going forward.
“I’m not sure if the BIA model is the one which will be used sometime down the road,” Shettell said. “The legislation that covers the board calls for us to be self-sustaining and that can make it difficult for us in accessing grant money which could be useful in other areas throughout the province.”
He said the BIA is excited to have an opportunity to promote the downtown area at the South Western Ontario Tourism Corporation meeting at the John D. Bradley Convention Centre in March.
“We have a lot to show off and any time we can bring people who are in town to our area, it’s a benefit.”
He said the BIA is very interested in the future of the Capitol Theatre and is interested in providing any input it can as the municipality moves ahead with plans for the facility.
“We believe the Capitol has been and can be an economic driver in the downtown area and we look forward to working with its future management,” he said.
Chatham-Kent Council was advised last month that St. Clair College would no longer operate the theatre effective next spring and the municipality is examining its options.
Thanks Jim.