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Introduction

Preamble

The Town of Bracebridge intends to update its Community Improvement Plan (CIP) based on the changes to the Planning Act, which makes possible a wider range of improvement opportunities for the Town. The new CIP will better address Bracebridge’s community investment attraction needs in accordance with the Town’s 2008 Community‐based Strategic Plan and the 2008 Community Adjustment Plan. The new CIP may be limited to the current project area, which is the existing Business Improvement Area (BIA), or may involve designating new project areas (including possibly the entire community).

The goals of the existing CIP are:

  • to improve the commercial facades and signage of the Central Business District;
  • to improve the quality of building stock, including the rehabilitation of the brickwork on buildings, and stimulate leaseholder pride or pride in ownership in the Central Business District; and,
  • to encourage the Central Business District to become attractive and competitive.

The existing CIP offers a Facade Improvement Loan and Grant Program (“Facade Program”) and a Signage Improvement Grant Program (“Signage Program”). Both programs provide loans and/or grants to support the enhancement and replacement of signs and storefronts within the Central Business District. Both programs were well‐utilized in the years immediately following their establishment in 2005. However, in recent years the number of program applications have declined. One of the reasons for this survey is to explore the reasons for the decline in applications for the Façade and Signage Programs.

This Survey

Given the decline in program uptake for the existing CIP, plus the new opportunities made possible via the Planning Act, the Town wishes to undertake the development of a new CIP. The input of the business community is critical to this initiative for two reasons:

  1. to understand past familiarity and experience with the Façade and Signage Programs; and,
  2. to discern the wishes of the business community regarding new possibilities under Provincial CIP legislation.

This survey, which should only take 10 minutes or so to complete, will provide input into the development of a new CIP. All responses will be held in complete confidence by the consultants; no information that would allow any single respondent to be identified will be divulged. Ideally we would like the owner of the property to complete the survey as well as the businesses that operate from the property (if different than the owner); however, if you are a business manager and are able to reasonably represent the interests of the property/business owner, we encourage your participation.

We're still accepting input, so please response as soon as you can.

Should you have any questions about this survey, please contact the consultants at:

Jon Linton
Director, TCI Management Consultants
(416) 515-0815
jlinton@consulttci.com.

If you have any questions about the overall updating of the CIP, please contact the Town at:

Cheryl Kelley
Director
Economic Development Department
(705) 645-5264, ext. 253
ckelley@bracebridge.ca.

or

Dana Rahkola
Assistant Director
Development Services Department
(705) 645-5264, ext. 246
drahkola@bracebridge.ca.

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