North Toronto’s youngest BIA shares plans for new year

The Midtown Yonge Business Improvement Area has some big plans for the new year, including a streetscaping project and ongoing business outreach.

The newly formed BIA, which became official earlier this year, spans Yonge Street from Soudan Avenue in the north down to Frobisher Avenue in the south, essentially including the swath of retail shops and restaurants from just south of Eglinton Avenue to just north of Mount Peasant Cemetery.

Plans are currently underway for a streetscaping project, said Kim England, communications coordinator for the Midtown Yonge BIA. What those plans entail is still being decided by the 13-person board of directors and one of the companies the BIA found in November after issuing a request for quotes.

“It is a huge project for the next year,” she said. “Streetscaping is one of our key initiatives to be working on.”

Early ideas include benches, planters and possibly banners with the BIA’s logo on them.

The group aims to create a greater “sense of neighbourhood,” she said. “So people who are driving or walking through know they’re in a distinct neighbourhood in Midtown.”

The BIA does have a logo already, designed by Ox Agency which they hired in the summer. They’re currently working on a website, which is expected to launch in the new year, as well as planning an advertising campaign promoting the area and its businesses.

While these projects are unfolding, the BIA also hopes to continue reaching out to businesses to formulate ideas around what everyone would like to see in the neighbourhood and to “create things that are mutually beneficial and that everyone appreciates.”

The chair of the BIA is Jennifer Gittens, who runs Little Sister Indonesian Food Bar as well as Quince Bistro. The BIA’s office is found at Schwarz Law LLP, just north of Davisville Avenue, which is run by lawyer and BIA board member Jayson Schwarz.

The BIA is already active on Twitter at @midtownbia.