City council to consider review of Downtown Association

Almost half a century after it was founded as a business neighbourhood that taxed itself to deliver beneficial  programs, Sault Ste. Marie's Downtown Association is poised to come under scrutiny from the city.

Ward 2 Coun. Luke Dufour and his Ward 5 counterpart Corey Gardi will ask city council on Monday to authorize a review of the organization's existence, coverage area and promotional efforts.

"If council believes downtown development is a community priority, it should be supported by the community, not just those businesses that front directly on Queen Street between Gore Street and East Street," their resolution says.

"Dissolution of a Business Improvement Area is an option available to municipalities under the Municipal Act, 2001," the councillors add.

Founded in 1976, Sault Ste. Marie's Downtown Association has about 400 members including 150 building owners and about 250 tenants.

It officially covers a stretch of Queen Street more than one kilometre long, but in recent years has started to champion a bigger swath of the downtown ranging from Station Mall to the south, the Gateway site to the west, the old hospital to the east.

This broader area is often described at the Downtown Association offices as "river to rail."

Having a formal Business Improvement Area downtown allows the city to apply for provincial cash for physical and aesthetic improvements there.

Here's the full resolution to be presented at Monday's city council meeting.

Downtown Business Improvement Area

Mover: Coun. L. Dufour
Seconder: Coun. C. Gardi

Whereas the City of Sault Ste. Marie has had a Business Improvement Area known as the Downtown Association (formerly the Queenstown Association) since 1976, a time when Queen Street was the major commercial district within the community; and

Whereas since 1976, commercial activity in the community has become more spread out throughout the community, including the expansion of the mall, redevelopment of the St. Mary's Paper site into the Canal District, and expansion of offerings on Great Northern Road, Northern Avenue and Trunk and

Whereas downtowns have, over the course of several decades, transformed from being solely commercial hearts of communities, to being the social hearts of a community, hosting festivals and events, all while continuing to offer commercial and retail draws; and

Whereas it is prudent to review if the model for downtown marketing and promotion that worked in 1976 continues to be the best model for our downtown, recognizing that the community’s definition of downtown is different than the Downtown Association’s geographic boundaries; and

Whereas if council believes downtown development is a community priority, it should be supported by the community, not just those businesses that front directly on Queen Street between Gore Street and East Street; and

Whereas dissolution of a Business Improvement Area is an option available to municipalities under the Municipal Act, 2001; and

Now therefore be it resolved that staff be requested to investigate how comparable communities are activating, promoting and marketing their downtowns, and report to council on options available to it, either with a recommendation or with options from which council could choose to best activate, promote and market Sault Ste. Marie’s downtown.