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Downtown Revitalization

Downtown Revitalization. Strategic Action Plan. COLLABORATION!. CIP Boundary. Background. Background. Developing the Plan. Vision Statement

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Downtown Revitalization

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  1. Downtown Revitalization Strategic Action Plan

  2. COLLABORATION!

  3. CIP Boundary

  4. Background

  5. Background

  6. Developing the Plan Vision Statement “A town built on community pride that offers an economically sustainable downtown with diverse in-door and out-door experiences and an energy that is accepting and inviting, and embraces our cultural heritage and geographic uniqueness.”

  7. Developing the Plan 1. Goal: The Town of Gravenhurst will continue to take ownership of the Downtown Revitalization project and better utilize department coordination. 2. Goal: Improve communications between all community stakeholders. 3. Goal: Improve the visual appearance and functionality of the public realm while maintaining and enhancing its historic character and creating a livable barrier-free and attractive community for residents and visitors to enjoy. 4. Goal: Improve the visual appearance of privately owned properties through a commitment to implementing the Community Improvement Plan and Façade Design Guidelines. 5. Goal: Support and promote existing cultural assets through the creation of experiential tourism packages. 6. Goal: Address and improve the current Downtown business mix by refining and promoting identified business opportunities. 7. Goal: Increase the volume of consumers in downtown Gravenhurst in order to improve business viability. 8. Goal: Leverage learning opportunities for businesses to support business retention and expansion.

  8. Developing the Plan For long-term success, the process needs a balanced approach which encourages incremental and simultaneous work in all four pillars and coordinated action among stakeholders.

  9. The Plan

  10. Strategic Action PlanGoal 1 1. Goal: The Town of Gravenhurst will continue to take ownership of the Downtown Revitalization project and better utilize department coordination. Challenge: Continuity and co-ordination of Gravenhurst Downtown Revitalization.

  11. Strategic Action PlanGoal 1 Economic Development 1.1 Activity: Utilize available staff and funding resources to research, attract and retain businesses and business opportunities. Leadership & Management 1.2 Activity: Incorporate the Strategic Plan for Downtown Revitalization into the Town’s Economic Development Strategic Plan and ensure that it compliments other related and future plans. 1.3 Activity: Maintain the Gravenhurst Downtown Revitalization Management Committee – the REDD Committee, - to provide leadership, direction, coordination, and vision to the implementation of the Gravenhurst’s Downtown Revitalization Strategic Plan, and the overall revitalization of Downtown Gravenhurst.

  12. Strategic Action PlanGoal 1 1.4 Activity: Secure base funding to establish a 2 year contract Downtown Revitalization Coordinator position within the Economic Development and Communications department. 1.5 Activity: Establish partnerships with all relevant community stakeholders. 1.6 Activity: Ensure that the Community Improvement Plan, the Façade Design Guidelines, the Downtown Revitalization initiatives and projects, and the progress and accomplishments associated with the Downtown Revitalization project are communicated to all Town and District staff.

  13. Strategic Action PlanGoal 1 Marketing & Promotions 1.7 Activity: Develop joint marketing opportunities with community stakeholders. 1.8 Activity: Improve/Expand on networking opportunities and informal sessions amongst merchants, property owners, and stakeholders to support downtown synergy. Physical Improvements 1.9 Activity: Create and deliver a communications campaign to promote the financial opportunities available through the Community Improvement Plan and Streetscape and Façade Design Guidelines.

  14. Strategic Action PlanGoal 2 2. Goal: Improve communications between all community stakeholders. Challenge: Lack of communication within the community appears to have created disconnect.

  15. Strategic Action PlanGoal 2 Economic Development 2.1 Activity: Communicate Town’s opportunities to potential entrepreneurs and investors with input and support from community stakeholders. Leadership & Management 2.2 Activity: Ensure all communications for Downtown Revitalization are in line with the Economic Development Communications Strategy.

  16. Strategic Action PlanGoal 2 Marketing & Promotions 2.3 Activity: Develop marketing strategies that target identified consumer markets addressing their respective needs and interests. 2.4 Activity: Create and execute a comprehensive communications program which utilizes the Town’s web presence as well as traditional media to promote the Downtown Revitalization project. 2.5 Activity: Communicate and celebrate all project initiatives and successes to ensure long-term engagement and commitment.

  17. Strategic Action PlanGoal 3 3. Goal: Improve the visual appearance and functionality of the public realm while maintaining and enhancing its historic character and creating a livable barrier-free and attractive community for residents and visitors to enjoy. Challenge: Downtown Gravenhurst would benefit from improvements to its visual appearance and connectivity.

  18. Strategic Action PlanGoal 3 Leadership & Management 3.1 Activity: Adopt and implement policy, budget, and plans to address identified public realm elements identified in the Streetscape Design Guidelines. Marketing & Promotions 3.2 Activity: Develop an outreach campaign to enhance community pride and “ownership” in downtown public space. 3.3 Activity: Increase community engagement and “investment” to address the visual aesthetics of features such as vacant lots, storefronts, and public gathering places. Physical Improvements 3.4 Activity: Collaborate with Gravenhurst’s Heritage Committee to identify locations of historical significance and ensure they are preserved and/or repurposed.

  19. Strategic Action PlanGoal 4 4. Goal: Improve the visual appearance of privately owned properties through a commitment to implementing the Community Improvement Plan and Façade Design Guidelines Challenge: Many privately owned properties are in need of façade improvements and/or structural rehabilitation.

  20. Strategic Action PlanGoal 4 Economic Development 4.1 Activity: Attract new developers and business owners to inject new ideas and uses into Downtown Gravenhurst. Leadership & Management 4.2 Activity: Help toensure the success of the Façade Improvement Program component of the project by maintaining Council’s commitment to the funding of the Streetscape & Façade Design Guidelines and Community Improvement Plan incentives. Physical Improvements 4.3 Activity: Encourage business and building owners to rehabilitate, repurpose, and/or develop their vacant land/buildings based on the Façade Design Guidelines.

  21. Strategic Action PlanGoal 5 5. Goal: Support and promote existing cultural assets through the creation of experiential tourism packages. Challenge: Cultural assets and amenities could be leveraged better through business collaboration to make downtown Gravenhurst a more compelling destination.

  22. Strategic Action PlanGoal 5 Economic Development 5.1 Activity: Create cultural experience packages in conjunction with Tourism partner organizations and guided by the Municipal Cultural Plan that partners downtown businesses with each other and those outside the community. Leadership & Management 5.2 Activity: Encourage businesses to elevate their business standards in order to participate in experiential tourism packages by outlining best practices for participation in said packages.

  23. Strategic Action PlanGoal 5 Marketing & Promotions 5.3 Activity: Develop marketing strategies to promote the financial and other benefits of experiential tourism to both businesses and tourists in Gravenhurst with a focus on Downtown. Physical Improvements 5.4 Activity: Building on the Streetscape and Façade Design Guidelines approved by council seek to improve the connectivity of cultural assets within the community.

  24. Strategic Action PlanGoal 6 6. Goal: Address and improve the current Downtown business mix by refining and promoting business opportunities identified. • Challenge: There appears to be disconnect between what consumers report wanting and what businesses are currently offering.

  25. Strategic Action PlanGoal 6 Economic Development 6.1 Activity: Refine business opportunities identified in the background research to the Strategic Plan; focusing on opportunities for business refinement vs. opportunities for new business. 6.2 Activity: Recruit new development and business in order to increase the range of businesses and reduce the commercial vacancy rate. 6.3 Activity: Assist new and existing businesses in finding/leveraging existing financing opportunities.

  26. Strategic Action PlanGoal 6 Leadership & Management 6.4 Activity: Develop strategies to help existing businesses and promote them as refocusing opportunities. 6.5 Activity: Attract unique retail and service businesses to locate in the Downtown to encourage an increase in the number of consumers patronizing the downtown. Physical Improvements 6.6 Activity: When the Town’s Official Plan is formally reviewed, provide input/recommendations for the establishment of protocols and priorities for downtown development, focusing on mixed use development and public gathering places.

  27. Strategic Action PlanGoal 7 7. Goal: Increase the volume of consumers in Downtown Gravenhurst in order to improve business viability. Challenge: Gravenhurst lacks consistent consumer volume to address current challenges such as: price points, business mix, and public transportation.

  28. Strategic Action PlanGoal 7 Economic Development 7.1 Activity: Conduct a comprehensive retail market analysis to investigate current research findings such as: price points, business mix, and public transportation. 7.2 Activity: Increase activity in downtown Gravenhurst by fostering activities that attract a broader range of consumers. Physical Improvements 7.3 Activity: Encourage residential intensification by attracting developers who will introduce various forms of housing to meet market needs.

  29. Strategic Action PlanGoal 8 8. Goal: Leverage learning opportunities for businesses to support business retention and expansion. Challenge: Business owners have identified learning opportunities as important to their future success.

  30. Strategic Action PlanGoal 8 Economic Development 8.1 Activity: Work with community stakeholders to leverage learning opportunities that help local businesses with the following: • Business Planning & Succession Planning • Joint Marketing & Advertising • Web presence, Social Media • Product planning and Market Development • Customer Service • Standards of operation (in general and in relation to tourism packages). • Product merchandising, window displays, and tradeshow displays • Encourage the adoption of hours of operation to meet consumer demand. • Explore and explain financial opportunities. Marketing & Promotions 8.2 Activity: Utilize the Town’s web presence (including web portal and social media) as vehicle for formal webinar learning opportunities as well as informal business idea sharing.

  31. Going Forward

  32. Going Forward Public Unveiling! – October 23rd RED Funding Application • Application to be Drafted – October 2013 • Application to be ready for approval by Council – November 19th • Application Due – November 1st – December 31st 2013 Continue to Collaborate! “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” —Henry Ford

  33. Questions?

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