After 45 years spent beautifying and promoting the downtown area, the Gravenhurst BIA is going on hiatus for the foreseeable future.
During the most recent Gravenhurst council meeting, Coun. Erin Strength, said the organization has agreed to go into dormancy.
“It’s been a long, difficult struggle to get to where we are today,” said Strength, the Town representative on the BIA Board.
In November the last five remaining board members voted to go into dormancy, she said.
“From what I gather from the downtown business core, this is a good thing. We need to take a breather, take a break,” said Strength. “Everyone on the board is spent in terms of time and money and ideas.”
The BIA Board was established in 1979 through a by-law by the sitting council to act as a unifying body for its membership, working to make downtown Gravenhurst a destination for seasonal and year-round residents. The BIA is funded by money collected from businesses in the downtown area and focuses on the development of the downtown area through beautification, events, marketing, and promotion.
Coun. Penny Varney was one of the original members of the BIA.
“I feel this is quite a sad thing but down the road, it will be a positive thing,” she said.
The BIA will now go dormant for the next three years, at minimum.
Funds that have been collected for the BIA will go towards existing obligations, such as downtown Christmas lights.
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The downtown area looks worse now than it ever has. Shop windows covered in damp crumbling paper. Can the merchants get together and show some of their merchandise in the empty store windows.?
There really isn’t too much to encourage tourists to stop and stroll and window shop.
The BIA money would be better spent on the store windows than Christmas lights.
Our Gravenhurst Business Improvement Association is so Valued and have done a Remarkable job of taking great Pride in beautifying our unique downtown area. Our Community is a tourist destination that is visited on a 4 Season basis by many people that have chosen to come and visit our majestic town in the heart of Muskoka. They bring much needed money from their visits in and around our town. Please reconsider the actions of closing down ,for 3 years, the BIA COUNCIL that contribute so much to make our town Welcoming and Inviting. It is Vital to our town of Gravenhurst to continue to promote and beautify our Town.
How sad
So sad to learn of this, especially since I am relatively new to the town (Aug 2023). I recall asking my agent if the downtown is thriving or as I suspected, in a state of neglect and decline, especially when compared to other communities I was considering. The town has tremendous potential. The article states that the hiatus may be a positive thing down the road. I would like to understand how that could be.
Glenna Day