Downtown Enhancement Action Plan

Transcription

1 Downtown Enhancement Action Plan Township of Muskoka Lakes Economic Development 1 Bailey Street, Port Carling, Ontario, P0B 1J0 economic.development@muskokalakes.ca

2 Table of Contents Introduction 2 Summary 2 Priority #1 3 Priority #2 4 Priority #3 4 Priority #4 5

3 Introduction The Economic Development Department in accordance with the Township Strategic Plan and Economic Development Strategy, conducted a Downtown Enhancement Project for Bala and Port Carling. With support from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Downtown Enhancement Project will help improve the economic, physical and social well-being of the two urban centre downtowns. In an effort to extend the operating seasons in Downtown Bala and Port Carling, the Downtown Enhancement Project identifies specific actions to assist business owners and attract visitors. Many of these actions require additional dollars, as part of this action plan, where additional dollars are required, every effort will be made to source out potential 3 rd party funding opportunities. Summary A Downtown Enhancement Working Group comprised of staff, business owners and residents was created to help guide project analysis and provide input on actions following program completion. The Downtown Enhancement Working Group participated in multiple visioning and planning meetings, conducted surveys of the Downtown business community, shoppers and residents, and analyzed market data. The Downtown Enhancement Working Group developed an Action Plan that represents the aspirations of all stakeholders and addresses the challenges identified through the data collected, with a focus on developing a plan that would be attainable. The Downtown Enhancement Working Group determined the following four priorities necessary to extend the operating seasons in Downtown Bala and Port Carling: 1. Priority #1 - Enhance and promote events and attractions to draw people into the community, and specifically the downtowns. 2. Priority #2 - Improve promotion of the downtown to residents, seasonal residents, and tourists. 3. Priority #3 - Ensure physical infrastructure in downtowns makes them an appealing place to stop and visit. 4. Priority #4 - Take an active role in managing and creating opportunities in the downtowns.

4 Priority #1 Enhance and promote events and attractions to draw people into the community, and specifically the downtowns. Objective 1: Explore opportunities to enhance existing events and implement. Work with Downtown Enhancement Working Group to review opportunities to enhance existing events for downtown businesses. Work with business community to develop linkages to events such as discounts or in-store entertainment. Objective 2: Determine opportunities to offer and promote on-going events, and activities in the downtown. Review current Township grant policy and determine feasibility of adding an events grant. Assess the feasibility of enhancing resource capacity to facilitate the development of an events network to coordinate events and promotion of them. Work with stakeholders to support the creation of a new event in Bala & Port Carling, with a focus on extending the tourism season. Create a running an event in Muskoka Lakes guide. Review event related by-laws to facilitate the development of new events. Objective 3: Enhance promotion of natural and manmade assets to increase visitation to the Township and link people to the downtowns. Identify existing assets, if there s a willingness to enhance, and how Township and other stakeholders can support their enhancement/promotion. Determine best ways to link outside natural and manmade attractions to the downtown and where possible bring them into the downtown (ie. Bike and cross country skiing trails). Become an Ontario By Bike certified community.

5 Priority #2 Improve promotion of the downtown to residents, seasonal residents, and tourists. Objective 1: Create a meaningful and unique signage program to help visitors understand where/what key attractions are. Explore best practices in tourism signage globally to identify which types of signage have had the most success. Review current downtown signage implement updates and make improvements where needed. Identify locations for pedestrian wayfinding signage. Implement pedestrian wayfinding signage program. Objective 2: Create awareness amongst full time residents, seasonal residents, and tourists regarding opportunities to shop in the downtowns. Research best practices to get residents and visitors to shop downtown. Implement most feasible option(s). Priority #3 Ensure physical infrastructure in downtowns makes them an appealing place to stop and visit. Objective 1: Ensure downtowns facilitate movement between businesses and attractions within and outside of downtowns. Identify where traffic calming/pedestrian crossing features are needed. Assess connectivity corridors throughout the downtown to encourage safety and increased foot traffic to the business community. Objective 2: Ensure downtowns are visually appealing. Identify locations that would benefit from beautification. Invest in assets to beautify, where financially feasible. With working group, review property standards and enforce

6 Objective 3: Create gathering spaces in the downtowns to draw residents and visitors to. Identify potential locations and uses for gathering spaces. Explore potential sponsorship and funding opportunities for the development of gathering places (ie: firepits, bandshell, etc.). Priority #4 Take an active role in managing and creating opportunities in the downtowns. Objective 1: Focus investment attraction efforts on filling existing gaps in retail and services, and enhancing local attractions. Create investment attraction material. Determine advertising channels. Promote opportunities and service inquiries. Attract operators to the area to offer new and trendy attractions such as a standing wave, zipline, skate trail, snowshoe trail, water activities & rentals. etc. Objective 2: Maintain the Downtown Enhancement Working Group to provide feedback and accountability. Establish a terms of reference defining the role of the group, who should participate. Meet with working group on a quarterly basis to maintain traction, receive feedback on activities. Work with working group to understand how best to engage the business community in driving this action plan forward.