Thursday May 21st, 2020
9am to 10am
Conference Call:
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81975645592?pwd=WDVXc0krdkRLTGxGcVc5MGpxYWJ5Zz09
Password: BIA
Present: Eshe, Jamie, Alana, James, Julie
Additional: Jim, Cristina
Regrets: Brandon, Tony, Liza
Absent: Jules, Jeff, Kathy, Esther Pauls
Welcome & Introductory Remarks – Chair, Eshe Despres
Review & Approval of the Agenda – Jamie/Julie
Review & Approval of March 2020 Meeting Minutes – Jamie/James
Board Business:
COVID-19 Updates:
Hamilton Business Centre and Public Health will be conducting a series of webinars with guidance on how to safety open. First business model will be for FOOD this upcoming Thurs May 28th. More details to follow from BIA
Board has the authority to approve any changes to budget adjustments/carry over funds in response to COVID
AGM: we have permission to conduct virtually
Electricity rate reductions extended to May 31st
On-street patio program permit applications extended to June 1st
Mayors Town Hall: virtual Wednesday at 7pm, all welcome to listen in on latest updates from the City
MPP Monique Taylor Virtual Town Hall: Friday May 22nd (2pm) RSVP for sign in details
Treasurer Report – Alana Travis
Reviewed budget to date. Identified discrepancy in BIA office hydro rates which is being investigated.
Chair of the Beautification Committee –Chair: Alana Travis
Tulips coming into full bloom at each of our BIA gateways (thanks to the Beautification committee &volunteers work this past Fall)
Summer flower contract will be honoured this summer. Still waiting on an installation timeframe (as the city is working on backlogged work). Tentative end of May 2020.
Last month the gaming patio was cancelled this summer due to sanitation concerns and liability to BIA
BIA office has good contact if any businesses are interested in an affordable window cleaner – asking as many shops as possible to “polish up” their storefronts
Chair of the Concession Marketing Committee – Chair: Kathy Kreidl, presented by Cristina Geissler
New posters in BIA Pedestrian Kiosk
Leveraging the Mountain News to run a few stories on adaptability of businesses through COVID, new business coming to Concession and another story for the new mural at Stoneroads
All other paid marketing has been halted for the moment
Chair of Concession Events Committee – Chair TBC - Presented by Cristina Geissler
Motion to cancel July, August and September Sidewalk Sounds in light of forecasted social distancing restrictions
Jamie/James – all in favour, passed
Motion to reinvent Sidewalk Sounds to virtual music performances out of rotating BIA storefronts (pop up events)
Hamilton Arts Week (June 11-20): call out for submissions for digital presentations. Use Sidewalk Sounds 2020 budget – estimated cost for summer $1000 (allowance for up to $4000 if needed)
Alana/Jamie – all in favour, passed
Assess Fallfest by August 2020
Chair of Safety Committee – Chair: Jim Foreman
Street relatively quiet (knock on wood)
Billboard on top of Stoneroads appears to have some loose pieces. BIA office to advise property owners.
Crime Prevention Audits for businesses can be conducted by HPS. Ask BIA office if interested.
Executive Director Updates – Cristina Geissler
Many thanks to Jackie Norton who gifted our BIA $50 to use for marketing/advertising through this crisis: 100in1Day initiative
BIA Awards of Excellence: virtual event
Parking on Concession – enforcement back in place, 30 minute grace for curbside pickup in place under further notice.
Parking app to launch in our area for June 2020. More details to follow as we are advised from the City.
Stoneroads Mural
Shop Local decals for BIA members coming soon
Utility box wraps – coming soon
New businesses:
Stage Diner – now open for curbside pickup
Jonny Blonde Burgers – now open (for POP UP lunch and dinner services)
The Daily (Dirty South Food Truck) – now open via Dirty South Food Truck (pop up lunch and dinner services until their commercial kitchen ready to go when they will switch to take out only)
Milk Beauty Bar – opening soon
Niche Salon – changed ownership, new name and renovations underway
Capelli Salon – opening soon in the corner until of The Zoetic
Made You Look Optical – opening soon at 566 Concession
Good bye to Haberdashery – who has moved to an online presence only
BIA Members and Community
CAP to host their CAP WALK virtually this year. Appreciate all support.
Hamilton Bellydance hosting an online show every Saturday through Zoom.
Jamie provided an update on the Vacancy Initiative Project:
Due to the extraordinary circumstances we are living, the Concession BIA has decided to put this project on indefinite hold. Understandably with the impact of these business closures and restrictions has had on small businesses, the focus in the coming months will be primarily on financial recovery. The end result has given us wonderful promotional videos, a landing page for real estate opportunities on Concession, and a good repository that we can look to access and action in the future. We have actually leased most of the properties we were highlighting We are back to a less than 5% vacancy – which at the end of the day is good news for our commercial corridor. We will honour the contracts we negotiated with Hamilton Rising and The Generator (both have been paid in full). The realtors that were hired as headhunters will be paid their first deposit for the work that have been able to complete to date. We look forward to reviving this exciting project when the timing is right.
Meeting Adjourned 10:20am (James/James)
Next meeting: Thursday June 18th (9am)
9am to 10am
Conference Call:
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81975645592?pwd=WDVXc0krdkRLTGxGcVc5MGpxYWJ5Zz09
Password: BIA
Present: Eshe, Jamie, Alana, James, Julie
Additional: Jim, Cristina
Regrets: Brandon, Tony, Liza
Absent: Jules, Jeff, Kathy, Esther Pauls
Welcome & Introductory Remarks – Chair, Eshe Despres
Review & Approval of the Agenda – Jamie/Julie
Review & Approval of March 2020 Meeting Minutes – Jamie/James
Board Business:
COVID-19 Updates:
Hamilton Business Centre and Public Health will be conducting a series of webinars with guidance on how to safety open. First business model will be for FOOD this upcoming Thurs May 28th. More details to follow from BIA
Board has the authority to approve any changes to budget adjustments/carry over funds in response to COVID
AGM: we have permission to conduct virtually
Electricity rate reductions extended to May 31st
On-street patio program permit applications extended to June 1st
Mayors Town Hall: virtual Wednesday at 7pm, all welcome to listen in on latest updates from the City
MPP Monique Taylor Virtual Town Hall: Friday May 22nd (2pm) RSVP for sign in details
Treasurer Report – Alana Travis
Reviewed budget to date. Identified discrepancy in BIA office hydro rates which is being investigated.
Chair of the Beautification Committee –Chair: Alana Travis
Tulips coming into full bloom at each of our BIA gateways (thanks to the Beautification committee &volunteers work this past Fall)
Summer flower contract will be honoured this summer. Still waiting on an installation timeframe (as the city is working on backlogged work). Tentative end of May 2020.
Last month the gaming patio was cancelled this summer due to sanitation concerns and liability to BIA
BIA office has good contact if any businesses are interested in an affordable window cleaner – asking as many shops as possible to “polish up” their storefronts
Chair of the Concession Marketing Committee – Chair: Kathy Kreidl, presented by Cristina Geissler
New posters in BIA Pedestrian Kiosk
Leveraging the Mountain News to run a few stories on adaptability of businesses through COVID, new business coming to Concession and another story for the new mural at Stoneroads
All other paid marketing has been halted for the moment
Chair of Concession Events Committee – Chair TBC - Presented by Cristina Geissler
Motion to cancel July, August and September Sidewalk Sounds in light of forecasted social distancing restrictions
Jamie/James – all in favour, passed
Motion to reinvent Sidewalk Sounds to virtual music performances out of rotating BIA storefronts (pop up events)
Hamilton Arts Week (June 11-20): call out for submissions for digital presentations. Use Sidewalk Sounds 2020 budget – estimated cost for summer $1000 (allowance for up to $4000 if needed)
Alana/Jamie – all in favour, passed
Assess Fallfest by August 2020
Chair of Safety Committee – Chair: Jim Foreman
Street relatively quiet (knock on wood)
Billboard on top of Stoneroads appears to have some loose pieces. BIA office to advise property owners.
Crime Prevention Audits for businesses can be conducted by HPS. Ask BIA office if interested.
Executive Director Updates – Cristina Geissler
Many thanks to Jackie Norton who gifted our BIA $50 to use for marketing/advertising through this crisis: 100in1Day initiative
BIA Awards of Excellence: virtual event
Parking on Concession – enforcement back in place, 30 minute grace for curbside pickup in place under further notice.
Parking app to launch in our area for June 2020. More details to follow as we are advised from the City.
Stoneroads Mural
Shop Local decals for BIA members coming soon
Utility box wraps – coming soon
New businesses:
Stage Diner – now open for curbside pickup
Jonny Blonde Burgers – now open (for POP UP lunch and dinner services)
The Daily (Dirty South Food Truck) – now open via Dirty South Food Truck (pop up lunch and dinner services until their commercial kitchen ready to go when they will switch to take out only)
Milk Beauty Bar – opening soon
Niche Salon – changed ownership, new name and renovations underway
Capelli Salon – opening soon in the corner until of The Zoetic
Made You Look Optical – opening soon at 566 Concession
Good bye to Haberdashery – who has moved to an online presence only
BIA Members and Community
CAP to host their CAP WALK virtually this year. Appreciate all support.
Hamilton Bellydance hosting an online show every Saturday through Zoom.
Jamie provided an update on the Vacancy Initiative Project:
Due to the extraordinary circumstances we are living, the Concession BIA has decided to put this project on indefinite hold. Understandably with the impact of these business closures and restrictions has had on small businesses, the focus in the coming months will be primarily on financial recovery. The end result has given us wonderful promotional videos, a landing page for real estate opportunities on Concession, and a good repository that we can look to access and action in the future. We have actually leased most of the properties we were highlighting We are back to a less than 5% vacancy – which at the end of the day is good news for our commercial corridor. We will honour the contracts we negotiated with Hamilton Rising and The Generator (both have been paid in full). The realtors that were hired as headhunters will be paid their first deposit for the work that have been able to complete to date. We look forward to reviving this exciting project when the timing is right.
Meeting Adjourned 10:20am (James/James)
Next meeting: Thursday June 18th (9am)