The Thornbury Business Improvement Area (BIA) board says upgrading its lighting display is imperative to making the area appealing to residents and visitors.
“The role of a BIA is primarily to make improvements to the area, the A in BIA, to make it attractive to residents and visitors alike,” said George Matamoros, chair of the Thornbury BIA. “The appeal of our BIA area is key in attracting and retaining new residents and supporting our businesses and development of the area.”
According to Matamoros, the Thornbury BIA will soon be issuing a tender for a three-year lighting project. The board anticipates the project will cost $150,000.
Funding for the BIA comes through a levy collected from the businesses within the BIA’s defined area.
“The majority of businesses in the Thornbury BIA are small businesses and are members by virtue of being located within the boundaries of the BIA. As such, they have no choice but to pay the levy, and every business pays the same amount regardless of size,” Matamoros explained.
For 2021, the BIA is aiming to keep its levy to $1,000, as many area businesses continue to operate at reduced capacity due to the pandemic.
“Given the financial strain from the lockdown the board needed to balance having enough resources to get the job done and being considerate of its members, thus the desire to cap the levy at $1,000 per member,” he continued.
With the levy capped, the BIA turned to the Town of the Blue Mountains (TBM) council to ask for financial assistance in order to proceed with the lighting project. The BIA board requested a financial contribution of $25,000 per year for three years, half of the project's total anticipated cost.
“The lighting program is one that they've been trying to get off the ground for a few years,” said TBM Deputy Mayor Rob Potter. “And it does make the town look a lot more inviting. We heard a lot of complaints over Christmas, that there weren't enough lights and some of the businesses have taken it on themselves to fund lighting on their own properties.”
In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic the BIA waived its levy completely, which Matamoros said has had an impact on initiatives.
“In 2020, the board voted to forego a levy in order to help its members cope with the financial strain of the lockdown. As a result, we found that the atmosphere in our business area suffered from the lack of animation at a time when residents and visitors alike were looking for some brightness in their surroundings,” he said.
TBM council members approved the ask as part of the 2021 budget, but also requested that town staff seek out alternative funding routes that may be able to cover the expense.
“We are very pleased that council has agreed to partner with the BIA in this project and extremely grateful that they were able to find a way to make it happen,” Matamoros said. “Residents can look forward to a downtown that they can be proud of and enjoy during evening walks.”
In 2021, the Thornbury BIA also plans to invest in new lamp post banners and will continue with its annual initiative of installing flower baskets in the spring.
“The stronger our business communities come out of this pandemic, the faster we'll be returning to providing jobs and attracting visitors to the community,” Potter added. “We shouldn't forget that this is an economic issue, not just a matter of giving some money away.”
As the region moves into yet another phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, Matamoros said he hopes the community will continue to put focus on supporting local businesses.
“Shop local is not just a slogan, it is the key to helping our businesses weather this pandemic,” he said. “Our residents and local community are the lifeblood of our businesses and we appreciate their ongoing support.”
