Transit Terminal – your help is urgently requested, Halloween Contest Details, Government Relief Measures Extended & more
Good morning, [caption id="attachment_9121" align="alignright" width="323"]
Hennings Salon[/caption]
I hope you all had some time to relax and enjoy the Thanksgiving long weekend. This week we launched two contests on social media: The Annual Scarecrow Contest and the Halloween Selfie Contest. I have included the details below and encourage you to participate by building a scarecrow or taking a selfie with the giant skeleton! Please help us promote these great initiatives by sharing on your own social media pages and telling your customers about them!
Along with the exciting new decorations funded by the Better Together Task Force, the contests will encourage people to come out to shop, dine, and participate in a fun and safe way this Halloween!
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I also want to say a BIG thank you to all of you who have gone the extra mile with your window displays this year! When the BIA staff were out decorating this week, we heard so many positive comments about how festive Downtown looks.
The potted mums, fall wreaths, and seasonal window displays are the little details that show locals and tourists that we care about where we live, we care about our customers, and we put that same care into the work that we do every day – and THAT is why people should shop, dine & do business here!
Transit Terminal Update
Yesterday we sent out an urgent letter requesting your support for this time sensitive matter. The Orangeville BIA Board of Management is continuing its efforts persuade the Town of Orangeville to change course on its decision to locate the Transit Transfer Station on Broadway between John & First Streets. The loss of a minimum of 11 parking spaces now (and more as additional transit routes are added), plus the increased congestion (vehicular traffic and pedestrian), noise, and diesel fumes from idling buses make this location neither safe nor appropriate for a transit transfer station. The letter can be found here. The OBIA has submitted the attached letter to Council requesting them to consider the original design for the Edelbrock Centre location as an alternative to the downtown location. The more businesses and residents that show their support for this alternative location and design, the more compelling the BIA’s argument will be. Please read the letter (link below) that contains details about the Edelbrock Centre plan AND show your support by doing ONE or MORE of the following (the more the better!):- Sign an endorsement! BIA staff will be visiting as many businesses as possible on Friday (tomorrow) asking for your endorsement of the attached letter concerning the Edelbrock Centre location and design.
- Make a delegation to Council! If you are really passionate about this issue, you can speak directly to Council during a Council meeting. You must register before 10 am on Monday but it’s really simple to register! Just click here and follow the prompts! https://forms.orangeville.ca/Request-for-Delegation-to-Council
- Send an email directly to Council and to be included in the public record by emailing Council at council@orangeville.ca AND councilagenda@orangeville.ca. You can draft and send your own message but as the timing is very tight, we have we have drafted a short statement for your convenience. Simply copy, paste, and send to the email addresses above! Feel free to add to it or revise as you see fit.
Short statement for your use:
Dear Mayor Brown and Members of Council,
The decision to locate the Transit Transfer Station in downtown Orangeville was made without any public engagement or consultation with downtown businesses or residents. The downtown location is not suitable for the transit station for the reasons outlined by the BIA. The original Edelbrock Centre design with a roadway from Dawson to Centre Street is a much better long-term solution by providing space for additional Orangeville Transit buses as more routes are added, would better accommodate buses from other public transit services, would provide better facilities and safer transfers for transit passengers, is a only a few hundred metres to the services offered at the Edelbrock Centre and/or the Westdale Mall, and is a short walk or very quick bus ride to Downtown. Grants from the Province of Ontario and Government of Canada will cover the cost of construction of the new terminal, so there will be little or no financial impact to Orangeville taxpayers. I am confident that the Town of Orangeville will find an alternate location for the Community Gardens and Orchard somewhere along a transit route to make them easily accessible for all.
For these reasons I do not support Council’s decision to locate the transit station downtown and respectfully request that Council consider the Edelbrock design and location as an alternative location.
Sincerely,
Add your name here
Add your business name or home address here
CORRECTION – Face Covering By-Law OPP Phone Number
Face coverings are now the law in Orangeville. This law was passed to help businesses manage those who refuse to wear a mask. The law is on the side of the business and by-law enforcement has been extended to local by-law enforcement officers and police officers. The contact phone number we provided last week for the OPP was incorrect. If you encounter a patron who is unwilling to comply with the face covering by-law (for non-medical reasons) and is refusing to leave, you may contact the Town of Orangeville’s Corporate Services department at 519-941-0440 Monday to Friday 8:30 to 4:30 p.m . Outside of these hours, please contact the OPP non-emergency number which is answered 24/7: 1-888-310-1122. In an emergency, always call 9-1-1.Annual Scarecrow Contest
Our 6th Annual Scarecrow Contest begins October 17th! We invite you to build a scarecrow and bring it downtown for a chance to win one of three prizes: Prizes: 1st - $150, 2nd - $100, 3rd - $50. The contest begins on Saturday, October 17th and ends on Saturday, October 31st.
Members of the public, schools, and not-for-profit/charitable organizations are invited to place their scarecrows in the garden located between the Royal Bank and Bar on Broadway.
Local businesses are encouraged to display their scarecrows in their windows or secure just outside their storefront.
The registration rules have changed this year, please read carefully!
How to register:
1) Bring your scarecrow to the scarecrow garden (or place the scarecrow in/just outside your storefront). Garden stakes should be used to prevent your scarecrow from being blown over and all accessories (clothing, hats, etc.) must be securely affixed to your scarecrow. Please take care not to disturb any of the other entries and decorations when you place your scarecrow. 2) Take a photo of your scarecrow and post it to Facebook. Tag us Orangeville Farmers' Market and we will share your photo to the 2020 Scarecrow Contest Album on https://www.facebook.com/Orangevillefarmersmarket (**Alternately, you may email your scarecrow photo to ambassador@downtownorangeville.ca and we will post the photo for you. Please include your name and contact information in your email.) Members of the public will vote by “liking” their favourite scarecrows in the 2020 Scarecrow Contest Album on https://www.facebook.com/Orangevillefarmersmarket The photo with the most “likes” by 5pm on October 31st wins! **If you would like your scarecrow returned to you, please pick up by Monday November 2nd. Have fun & good luck!Halloween Selfie Contest
Calling all goblins and ghouls… Take a selfie with one of our exciting new Halloween displays in Downtown
Orangeville, post your photo to Facebook and tag us @downtownorangeville to be entered to win a fall themed basket of goodies from our local shops!
Get creative with your selfies to increase your odds of winning! Show us your costumes, your pet, or a purchase you made Downtown!
We’ll select one winner every Friday leading up to Halloween.
This is a great social distancing activity so feel free to get the little ones involved!
Special thanks to The Town of Orangeville & Recreation Department for their support and assistance!
Happy Halloween!
Government Relief Measures
The Ontario Government announced that it would be extending some of the relief measures for restaurants and other small businesses this week, as well as introducing additional supports. These measures include:- Committing to permanently allow licensed restaurants and bars to include alcohol with food as part of a takeout or delivery order before the existing regulation expires;
- Permanently allowing 24/7 deliveries to restaurants;
- Supporting the distribution of local food and food products by increasing the range of products sold at the Ontario Food Terminal;
- Ending outdated and duplicative rules so businesses can focus on their work;
- Modernizing regulations to allow businesses to innovate and meet the challenges of today;
- Providing mental health supports to business owners and employees who are struggling;
- Providing $57 million with federal partners through the Digital Main Street program and creating new Digital Main Street squads to help small businesses grow online; and
- Launching a new portal to assist small businesses to quickly find the supports and information they need.