Mount Forest’s BIA is now helping to cover some costs to revitalize its downtown area.
BIA chairman Murray Townsend spoke to Wellington North councillors regarding a financing and maintenance agreement for the streetscape and 2009 business improvement area budget.
The work to improve the Mount Forest downtown area came as a result of redoing the main street, where three blocks of the downtown core were to be dug up and various underground services installed.
Since the work was to be from building to building, it meant the removal of existing sidewalks. The BIA costs essentially cover part of the upgrades in the pedestrian areas.
Townsend said at the BIA meeting last month, the members voted on a financing agreement for the streetscape.
The BIA will be work with an amortization plan to cover its portion of the work. That will begin on the first of July when the work is completed.
Townsend said a down payment was also authorized, and there was some discussion about maintenance. The proposal is not quite final and it will be presented to council at a later meeting.
Councillor Dan Yake said the basis of the agreement will be satisfactory to both parties.
He explained the agreement sets out who is responsible for what – such as the trees or the light standards.
“I think in the past – it wasn’t very clear.”
Yake said Townsend and the executive deserve credit for their work in this “long, drawn out process,” with the BIA and council.
Yake said the work downtown is coming along nicely, “and I think you’ll be proud of the way it looks.”
