The town has put a community improvement plan in place in hopes of “rejuvenating” the downtown core.
The town will provided up to $2,000 to property owners and tenants for facade and signage improvements for the buildings in the downtown core. The town has already approved five projects with a quarter of the $28,000 allocated for the program used for those projects.
It’s a part of the Main Street Revitalization Initiative that was started to help municipal governments. The $26 million initiative was designed by the Ontario government to help revitalize the main streets of town’s to support and benefit small businesses.
On the town’s Facebook page, they list the following as eligible for improvement:
- Repair or replacement of store or river front, including repair or replacement of store or river front door and windows
- Repair or repainting of facade masonry and brickwork
- Repair or replacement of cornices, parapets, eaves, soffits and other architectural details
- Repair or replacement of awnings or canopies
- Facade painting and cleaning/treatments
- Addition of new lighting/upgrading of existing fixtures on exterior facade and in entrance and storefront display areas
- Installation/improvement of signage (as permitted by the sign by-law)
- Architectural/design fees required for eligible works
- Other similar repairs/improvements as many be approved
Three more projects are expected to be brought to the town. They encourage other businesses in the downtown core to come forward as well over the winter so that these projects can be worked on and completed by summer 2019.
For more information, you can contact Deputy Clerk and Economic Development Coordinator Lianne Sauter at 613-332-3331, extension 206 or email her at [email protected].