Sixty per cent of Minto business people say their business has improved since 2009, when the municipality initiated a downtown revitalization program in Harriston, Palmerston and Clifford. In addition, 70% of businesses surveyed say their level of satisfaction with their downtown has improved since the program began.
The statistics were revealed at a Main Street Minto Project Review hosted by the municipality on Nov. 21 at the Harriston library.
Minto business and economic manager Belinda Wick-Graham said much of the groundwork for the program was laid early in the process, including a survey of local residents “that basically told us that a lot of people weren’t shopping in our community.”
In response, downtown revitalization projects were set up in all three urban centres with the goals of:
– encouraging private investment in the downtowns;
– creating and retaining jobs; and
– improving the look of the downtowns and encouraging residents, businesses and tourists to stop and shop.
In 2009, the municipality secured a grant of $408,000 through OMAFRA’s Rural Economic Development (RED) program.
Some of that money was used to support programs aimed at encouraging businesses to make physical improvements to their buildings and businesses, including a facade and signage improvement program. That program, resulted in construction projects costing around $147,000 at local businesses, with the town providing grants totalling almost $40,000. Wick-Graham explained the town leveraged $108,240 through the program, for a leverage ratio of $2.78 for every dollar spent by the municipality on the façade and signage program.
“That’s a pretty good number,” she stated.
Revitalization efforts included streetscape improvements in all three communities, various “shop local” programs and website development. Development of local farmers’ markets and efforts to address downtown vacancy rates have also been part of the program.
Vacancy rates, which have held steady in Palmerston and increased slightly in Harriston and Clifford, are one area where there has been no overall progress.
“We’ve got some work to do there,” Wick-Graham conceded.
In Clifford downtown upgrades included new benches, garbage cans, a bike rack, interlocking brick, trees and planters. A sculpture created by local artist and blacksmith Mike Shannon, using items contributed by the community, was also installed downtown.
Downtown Palmerston improvements have included new benches, interlocking brickwork, lighting upgrades and downtown murals on private buildings. Upgrades to the Lions Heritage Park, including the installation of a splash pad have added to the aesthetics of the downtown.
In Harriston, improvements to the Cenotaph Park area and the creation of Tannery Park over the Maitland River were among the projects completed. Wick-Graham said some streetscape work in Harriston was delayed, due to the need to complete sewer and water upgrades first, but is slated to take place in 2015.
Since revitalization efforts began, a total of 80 businesses made over $1.6 million worth of physical improvements to buildings, 69 businesses expanded their product lines and 17 businesses expanded their square footage.
There were also 81 new jobs created during the program period.
“That’s like getting a factory, and it’s pretty hard to get a factory,” Wick-Graham noted.
“Remember we started with just $400,000 (in RED money),” said Mayor George Bridge, commenting on the amount of money spent by private interests and service groups on projects that benefit the downtown areas.
“We’re going to keep on investing in our downtown,” said Bridge. “A little bit of money from us and it just snowballs into more from everyone else.”
The meeting also included recognition of members of the three downtown revitalization committees, community partners and other who contributed to downtown enhancement efforts.
