BIA expansion a reason for hope
[attach]3741[/attach]Businesses still struggling to recover from the disastrous right-of-way construction along St. Clair Avenue West may have new hope in getting a street revitalization.
In February city council rubberstamped an expansion of the Regal Heights Village Business Improvement Area, bringing into the fold a stretch of businesses from Oakwood Avenue to Winona Drive know previously as ‘the gap’. The move creates a nearly contiguous stretch of business improvement areas along St. Clair from Old Weston Road to Bathurst Street.
“Personally I’m ecstatic,” said councillor Cesar Palacio who sits on the BIA. “I’m extremely optimistic that through marketing and street beautification, we’re going to make the whole St. Clair area successful.”
Business improvement areas collect levies from member businesses and use them to promote the local economy through marketing and joint ventures with the city. With a beefed up pool of levies, the expansion gives the BIA the critical mass it needs to access city funds for streetscape improvements through capital cost-share programs.
“Some of those things are already in the works, like pedestrian lights, flower baskets and banners,” said Tony Bollus, a BIA board member. “This spring there will be a visible change on the street.”
That change can’t come soon enough for business owners like Patel Bharat, whose bulk food store, JV Supermarket, is located just east of Oakwood Avenue. He estimates a 30-percent drop in business since the start of the right-of-way construction.
He said he’s hopeful the BIA will address what he sees as the area’s biggest concern: the lack of parking post streetcar right-of-way construction.
“Everybody’s complaining,” he said. “Since the streetcar (construction) started, it doesn’t look like anything is going to change.”
With only one lane of parking on the street at restricted times, and only six parking spots in the rear of the store, Patel now relies on customers who can shop for their groceries without a car.
But beyond the parking problem, Patel would like to see more trash bins along St. Clair, and bike racks so cyclists can secure their ride.
[attach]3742[/attach]Just a few doors down, Elvira Guzzo doesn’t share Bharat’s cautious optimism.
Though the longtime employee of Consumers Discount Furniture wasn’t aware of the BIA’s expansion, she scoffed at the idea a business improvement area could help what she says is a sorry state of affairs on St. Clair.
The lack of on-street parking “is the number one thing that’s killing us here,” she said.
Customers call and ask her where they can park and she doesn’t know what to tell them. Delivery trucks can no longer make deliveries in front of the store.
Guzzo, who used to live on St. Clair before moving to Woodbridge several years ago, said people used to drive to St. Clair, park on Dufferin and walk the streets. It doesn’t happen anymore.
“You could put palm trees or dancing girls outside – it’s not going to get people down here.”
With business down about 70 percent, Guzzo says, the owner is considering closure.
Palacio acknowledged St. Clair is among the worst streets in the city to park.
He said he’s working with the Toronto Parking Authority to try and create more space in the area.
Acknowledging business had suffered, Palacio said the only way forward is to create a space that will attract people.
“To attract more investment, we have to create the economic conditions and business conditions for (stores) to be successful,” Palacio said. “It’s one way of bringing more people to the area.
“That’s what people want and that’s what brings economic prosperity to the area.”
He said the overwhelming sentiment at the recent annual general meeting of the BIA was that the expansion was a positive development for the area.
This is the second growth spurt for the Regal Heights BIA. In 2009 it grew three blocks from Glenholme Avenue to Oakwood Avenue. At the time, the gap area was left out because businesses there were not onboard.
Palacio said remaining businesses came around to the idea after renewed efforts to educate them about the benefits of cost-sharing programs with the city.
[align=right]— With files from Karolyn Coorsh
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