Set up the Ross Street Patio, reinstate street parking fees, and continue to offer downtown improvement grants.
These are some of the ways the City of Red Deer can help downtown businesses reopen during this pandemic, say some merchants.
Red Deer’s downtown had been struggling amid the poor economy and core-area social problems before the COVID-19-related temporary shutdowns.
In fact, some Ross Street businesses are not intending to reopen — including LVs Vinyls, Games Music and Chronicles Cafe, said Catherine Robb, owner of Housewarmings.
While this is sad news for Robb, who will be reopening her store on Friday, she’s heartened to see that several new establishments have set up shop in these last difficult weeks.
Taco Loft (upstairs in the former Games Music site), and an artisan’s grocery, located in the former Red Boar Smokery outlet, seem to be making a good go of it, she said.
Robb believes the downtown could use the City of Red Deer’s help to draw people back to the city’s core. She and Sunworks owner Paul Harris are eager to see the Ross Street Patio reopened by the city.
Health experts are recommending restaurants have outdoor patios to allow customers to spread out, said Harris, who plans to reopen Tribe restaurant on June 3.
Robb believes outdoor entertainment on the Ross Street Patio is a “huge” asset, creating a lively scene that attracts people downtown.
“When there are people down here, it looks alive. There are flowers on the patio and music, and people are eating their lunches. It makes the downtown look interesting.”
She’s glad the downtown Wednesday farmer’s markets will be starting up next month. But Robb and Harris hope the city will reinstate pay parking at downtown meters to help free up customer parking spaces, which are now being taken up by downtown workers.
If a two-hour parking limit once again applies to meters, downtown workers would have to park their vehicles at longer-term city parking lots, or the parkade, leaving more street parking for customers.
However, both business owners believe free parking should be maintained in the the city-owned parkade to encourage more motorists to park there.
Some concern was raised about a recommendation from administration that the City of Red Deer accept no applications from downtown business owners for facade improvement grants in August.
This is to be discussed by city council on Wednesday. Harris said this would be a shame as there was high demand for the grants, and continues to be.
If more storefronts were spruced up it would make a “huge” difference to the downtown, he added.
Robb wanted to apply for the facade improvement program, but had to save up to have her share of the required funds upfront, as was stipulated by the city. She plans to apply in August, and Harris is also interested.
To help make the core more thriving, he believes the municipality should also look at reducing business taxes and promote the downtown more through its economic development department.
lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com
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