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Funding OK'd for structural analysis of old BiWay

Funding is an opportunity to address 'this blight on our main street,' says Hehn; Hope is to 'revitalize' area
2018-12-10 biway storefront
Council committee agreed to provide $2,100 to cover half the cost of a structural analysis on the old BiWay building on Mississaga Street. The long-term goal is to "repair the structure and bring it back to productivity." Dave Dawson/OrilliaMatters

Could there finally be light at the end of the tunnel for the old BiWay?

For two decades, the large downtown building that housed the once-popular discount chain, has been a decaying eyesore that people point to when they want to talk about what’s wrong with Orillia’s downtown.

Today, council committee agreed to provide a grant of $2,100 to the property manager of the 23 Mississaga St. W. building to complete a “much-needed structural analysis to determine what is required to repair the structure and bring it back into productivity.” That represents half the cost of the survey.

It’s a move Ward 4 Councillor Pat Hehn applauded. She said she’s “fully in support” of the decision and said she and other members of council are often asked about the derelict building.

“Now we have the opportunity to finally do something with this blight on our main street,” said Hehn. “What an amazing difference it would make to have this building as a thriving enterprise once again in our downtown.”

BiWay officials applied for grant money as part of the third intake of the Downtown Tomorrow Community Improvement Program (DTCIP) grants. However, the Feasibility and Design Study Grant budget was depleted.

Because this property has been identified as a priority property (in need of improvement) in the downtown core due to its size, location and the length of time the building has remained vacant, staff suggested the $2,100 be reallocated from the unused portion of the Façade Improvement Grant Program to the Feasibility and Design Study Grant Program to facilitate the study.

"Staff feel this is an opportunity to support the revitalization of not just the building itself, but ... (that it) could stimulate improvements throughout the area," said Laura Thompson, the city’s manager of real estate and commercial development.

On Monday, council committee agreed.

Decisions made Monday must be ratified at Thursday’s regular meeting of council.

The DTCIP is a multi-year program aimed at encouraging private-sector investment by incentivizing development projects in the downtown area through grant programs.

This year “was a great year for the Downtown Tomorrow CIP program,” said Thompson, noting marketing of the program netted the city’s economic development office and the Downtown Orillia Management Board a provincial award.

Thompson noted the city provided about $135,000 in grants to 11 local businesses in 2018 through the DTCIP.

“The successful applications in 2018 have an estimated return on investment of 1 to 10, which means that for every dollar granted by the city, $10 are expected to be invested by private property owners,” said Thompson.

In addition, “90 per cent of those who completed projects said the grants allowed them to build bigger projects and sooner than they otherwise could have.”

Hehn lauded the program.

“I look at the Downtown Tomorrow Community Improvement Plan as one of our biggest successes,” she said. “In overall cost of things we have done, it is not an expensive program, but it has made a big impact on our downtown and continues to do so.”

Ward 2 Coun. Ralph Cipolla agreed. However, he asked staff if it would be possible to fast-track the next phase of DTCIP grants that would include money for development of brownfield sites in the downtown core.

“It is very important,” he said. “People I’ve talked to … are really interested in going ahead with some of those projects down there (at the waterfront), but because of (being) brownfields, they’re hesitating.”

Staff suggested it would likely be a year before that phase of grants was rolled out.

Whatever the timeline, Ward 1 Coun. Ted Emond suggested funding is critical.

“(These) are programs that are expensive, of a magnitude that is much greater than the kinds of grants” the city has given to date, said Emond.

He said the city needs to build up its reserves first. “Until we have built up that reserve to the point it can afford the level of assistance that is going to be meaningful ... we’re going to be hamstrung there.”

Emond said council should consider funding the program during its budget deliberations in January.

The DTCIP was adopted in June of 2016.

Between June 2016 and November 2016, staff worked to develop an implementation plan, which included a communications strategy, an initial project budget and a phased implementation approach.

Program contributions were established to ensure private property owners were contributing a minimum of 50% to eligible projects.

A total of eight incentive programs were approved:

  • Feasibility/Design Study Grant Program;
  • Fees Grant Study Program;
  • Façade Improvement Grant Program;
  • Building Improvement Grant Program;
  • Residential Grant Program;
  • Tax Increment Grant Program;
  • Brownfields Tax Assistance Program; and
  • Development Charge Grant Program

In 2017, council authorized staff to launch five of the above noted programs with a budget of $185,000 for the first year of implementation.

Council approved a budget of $200,000 for the second year of implementation (2018).

On Monday, council committee approved, in principle, a $200,000 budget for 2019. That decision, if ratified Thursday, will require confirmation during budget talks.

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Dave Dawson

About the Author: Dave Dawson

Dave Dawson is community editor of OrilliaMatters.com
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