Red Deer will play host this spring to a three-day conference on downtowns and other urban centres.
Alberta Downtowns: Placemaking & Promotion is expected to attract people from across the province who have an interest in downtowns.
These could include municipal officials, those involved in tourism and economic development, business and property owners, and planners and developers, said the Red Deer Downtown Business Association in a news release.
“We’d like to see 100 people,” said Laura Turner, the association’s executive director.
The Red Deer Downtown Business Association is organizing the conference in conjunction with the Calgary Business Revitalization Zones and the Edmonton Council of Business Revitalization Zones. Alberta’s two biggest cities have between them more than 20 business revitalization zones — designated areas where a group of businesses pay a levy to further their common interests — and other BRZs are scattered across the province. The Red Deer Downtown Business Association is a BRZ.
The May 11 to 13 conference will feature presentations on a variety of topics, including downtown strategies and policies, entertainment and social districts, and social marketing.
Several will be conducted by Roger Brooks, an urban consultant with Seattle-based Destination Development International, who has worked with nearly a thousand communities. He will share his insights into successful downtown development.
The conference will also include a roundtable discussion about potential changes to the Alberta Municipal Government Act and Business Revitalization Zone Regulations, with provincial officials taking part.
“We’ve designed things so that there’s something for the potential BRZ or potential downtown organization, as well as some information of value to larger centres,” said Turner. She added that downtown conferences have been held in Alberta in the past, but the Red Deer event will be on a larger scale.
“Certainly, I think this is the largest, most comprehensive that we’ve had to date.”
The gathering will be a great opportunity to showcase Red Deer, said Turner, and those who take part should benefit from the sharing of experiences and ideas.
“The networking is very important,” she said, adding that the conference should also help give BRZs and downtowns a unified voice.
The cost to attend Alberta Downtowns: Placemaking & Promotion is $189 for registrations completed by April 1, and $239 thereafter. The deadline is April 29.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.comhrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com