With improvement on our minds, we look east to Terrace

While many Rupertites spend a fair amount of time shopping in Terrace at the variety of big box locations that have set up there, most would be in agreement that the downtown area of that city has seen better days and is looking more than a little run down.

It seems to be a sentiment shared there as well, as the Terrace Downtown Merchants explore the possibility of creating a Business Improvement Area in their city and taking advantage of the initiatives that the project might create.

It's an idea that is also being kicked around in Prince Rupert, though we apparently are not as far along in our plans or even inquiries as they have been to the east. Though just the idea of improving security in the downtown areas, as is being considered in Terrace might be enough to spur the Rupert business owners into action.

The Daily News featured details on the Terrace idea and the local reaction to it as the front page story in Tuesday's paper.

TERRACE'S DOWNTOWN PLAN HAS RUPERT FIRMS THINKING

Neighbouring town thinks Business Improvement Area may be the answer
BY CARLA WINTERSGILL
The Daily News
Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Pages one and three

With a special visit from the former president of the British Columbia Business Improvement Area Association (BIA), Terrace is on its way to revitalizing its downtown core.

Jennifer Moore visited Terrace last week to introduce the idea of a Terrace BIA and Rupert firms are wondering if its the right thing for our community.

"She has given us a two-year plan and a step by step guide to what we should be doing and what things we should be looking at," said Anna Beddie, a member of the Terrace Downtown Merchants Association who arranged for Moore to visit. "It's up to make us improve ourselves, one way or the other. Even if it's just cleaning our streets."

BIAs work through a levy based on the business's property taxes. It becomes a guaranteed funding source that allows the BIA to take on various projects to improve the downtown.

The Terrace group wants to accomplish a beautification its downtown with banners and hanging baskets. It also wants to increase the amount of events in the downtown core.

"We want more activities to bring people in," said Beddie. "We want activities to remind tourists that we're here and locals that we're still here."

The group would also like to focus on security issues.

"In the past few weeks, a number of people have had their windows broken and it's just not right," said Beddie. "If we could hire security to do a walk-beat, maybe we could improve our downtown by having less vandalism."

Forming a BIA is a complicated process, which involves the participation of all the property owners as well as the business owners. But according to Moore, the outcome is worth the extra effort.

"We make the area more attractive so people want to be there a little more. That equates into increased sales for the merchants that are there," she said.

"And everyone along the line benefits because property values go up so owners can charge more in their leases and the city benefits because the assessed value of the property will increase.
"It's a full cycle."

So far in Prince Rupert, there have been no plans to create a BIA.

There has been some analysis of what other cities have done, but there is nothing formal planned for Prince Rupert.

"These things are tough," said Chris Colussi of the Prince Rupert and Port Edward Economic Development Corporation. "They're usually spearheaded by the business community and at the moment there has been nothing. I think there should be a BIA in some form."