Outdoor Merchandise Displays, Sidewalk Construction, Parking Update & more!
Hi everyone!
Lots of news to share with you this week so let’s hop right to it!
Easter Egg Hunt Contest Continues!
We saw lots of kids and families downtown this week participating in our Easter Egg Hunt Contest & the feedback has been awesome! Encourage your customers to participate by picking up a clue card at Mill Creek Gardens or they can print a copy from our website. Contest runs until April 5th, full details are available here.
Important Reminder – 2 Hour Parking Limit will be Re-instated on April 1st
Please share with your customers that on April 1st, the Town of Orangeville will resume enforcement of downtown’s 2-hour limit for on-street parking. Vehicles parked on the street in excess of 2 hours may be ticketed and enforcement will be in effect at all times, including evenings and weekends.
Please encourage your customers to park in one of downtown’s conveniently located, FREE public parking lots should they plan to stay downtown for longer than 2 hours.
We have created a parking poster that you can display to notify your customers. The volunteer team from Branching Out Support Services have been busy distributing posters, if you haven’t already received yours, you should receive it soon! You can also print your own copy here.
You can view a map of the free public parking lots here .
Downtown Sidewalk/Boulevard Redevelopment
Many of you are aware that the downtown sidewalks and boulevards have seen better days. They are due to be replaced not only for aesthetic reasons, but first and foremost to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors.
The Town of Orangeville was planning to replace the sidewalks and boulevards last year, but the plans were put on hold due to COVID-19. As it stands now, the project is set to begin in the Fall of 2021.
There is very little information to share with you at this time, but we wanted you to be aware that this project is on the horizon. We strongly encourage you to read the information that will be coming your way sometime in April and hope you will engage in the public/stakeholder engagement process that will follow soon after.
The BIA is aware that this will be a disruptive project, at a time when many of our businesses are working hard to recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19. We have been assured that the Town is working on a plan to minimize the impact to businesses. Please hang tight – we will send information concerning the project as soon as it becomes available.
Outdoor Merchandise Displays
Are you planning an outdoor merchandise display this year? Here’s what you need to know!
Attractive and colourful outdoor merchandise displays appeal to passersby and entice customers into your store. At a time when social distancing and capacity limits can create space issues, outdoor displays can also give you that extra bit of floor space & allow customers to browse outside while waiting to enter your store.
To be effective, it is important that any merchandise is artfully and thoughtfully displayed. Remember, this is the first impression a potential customer will have of your store, so make it a good one! Clothing racks or a table with clearance items is generally not recommended unless part of an attractive display.
Due to the challenges Covid-19 has imposed on downtown retailers and at the BIA’s request, the Town of Orangeville will permit extended outdoor merchandise displays for a second year.
The Merchandise Display Bylaw allows for small, façade displays of merchandise, however, if a business wishes to extend its displays beyond what is permitted in the bylaw, the following rules & process must be followed:
- A 1.5 m (5 foot) sidewalk must be maintained for accessibility purposes. The Town prefers that the public walkway passage along Broadway remain as linear as possible with meandering minimized therefore:
- Sidewalk/walking area of no less than 1.5 m (5’) wide is to be maintained;
- Retailers will be permitted to maintain their existing .75 m (2.5 ft) ft extension from their facades as per the Merchandise Display Bylaw OR erect a canopy on the street side of the boulevard (not on the roadway);
A merchant that wishes to erect a tent or canopy on the street side of the boulevard shall obtain the permission of the Town and submit the following to the Economic Development division:
- Submit sketches (outlining tent location/size/anchors) and proof of Insurance to Ruth Phillips, Manager of Economic Development; Town of Orangeville at rphillips@orangeville.ca
- a certificate of insurance in a form satisfactory to the Town naming the Town as an additional insured with a coverage limit not less than two (2) million dollars in Commercial General Liability;
The granting of permission to erect a tent on the street side of the boulevard is subject to the following terms and conditions:
- any safety measures applied by the Town as part of the approval of an application be adhered to;
- the anchoring and securing of a tent through the use of weights;
- the tent shall not be attached/embedded to the sidewalk;
- the tent shall not be erected adjacent to the facade of the building;
- that all displayed items, furniture, equipment, tent and other items be removed as required by the Town for snow removal or property maintenance.
- A merchant may have a display area that is .75 metres (2.5 feet) from the
facade or in a tent on the street side of the boulevard but not in both locations.
The Manager of Economic Development and Culture is delegated authority to approve a request to erect a tent on the street side of the boulevard that meets the requirements of this By-law between April 1, 2021 to November 30, 2021.
The BIA currently has three 8’ x 8’ canopies and one 8’ x 12’ canopy to lend to members on a first come, first serve, week to week basis. Please let us know if you would like to request one.
**Please note that the sidewalk/boulevard redevelopment project (if it proceeds in the Fall) could impact this policy. We will notify you of any changes to the by-law
Upcoming Webinar: Vantage 2021: The Great Reset for Restaurants
Date: April 16, 2021
Time: 1pm ET
Location: Online
Duration: 45 Minutes
“While the COVID pandemic has ravaged many industries and individuals, few can argue the visible impact it has had on the foodservice industry. At the onset of the crisis most did not know how long it would last. For an industry that is reliant on traffic volume to help stave off low profit margins, those connected to Foodservice had hoped that it would be short-lived. Alas, almost a year since the first cases were recorded in Canada and after multiple lockdowns and restrictions we are still uncertain when this crisis will end.
Having said this, we know how resilient, entrepreneurial, and adaptive the foodservice industry is, and many have clearly stepped up to the challenge to survive. The reality is some channels and operators have fared better than others, while many have altogether folded.
Canadians interaction with what they eat and drink continues to change and evolve, particularly as we retreat into our homes. In this highly homebound environment, marketplace attitudes are shifting. This is also clearly impacting the dynamics within the foodservice industry. We are already seeing a very different foodservice landscape to what existed a year ago. As we emerge from this crisis, it remains important to keep your fingers on the pulse of current consumer sentiment so you can stay ahead of the curve to re-ignite growth rather than merely waiting and reacting to them.
Join Ipsos for a complimentary webinar to hear highlights from the 6th edition of our annual Vantage Foodservice trends and market outlook report, Canada Vantage 2021.”
Register early so you don’t miss out!
Thanks everyone!
Happy Friday!