We ran a survey to gather your opinions on how we can make our Meaford Downtown neighbourhood even more inviting and successful!
Please note that Meaford Downtown is not part of the municipal government. If you have comments or concerns about parking or other town issues, please direct them to the Municipality.
Thank you to everyone that participated!
Samples of written comments
Here is a sample of some of the comments the participants submitted. We’ve grouped them by subject matter.:
| BIA and Chamber |
| A dedicated staff person to operate Chamber is essential. Collingwood is a great example. There is lots of space in and around the big apple for kiosks/displays for local vendors or buskers. There is opportunity to make the big apple something more. |
| Since the dissolution of the BIA the downtown area has ,to me, been more vibrant than it has been for years. More activities, attractions and appearances have attracted more attendance by locals and visitors. These activities are available in a vital area of the town. The parking issue is also important, as it is frustrating to not have a place to park your car to reasonably able to explore the downtown |
| Having a single board or BIA that all ideas and initiatives would really help to ensure everything remains on brand and aligned. We have lots of committees and willing people but all too often they work in silos and with no cross over with existing teams and committees. |
| In my previous life as a Communication Designer, I with my creative partner Reet McGovern Shear created a creative strategy and implemented an advertising campaign for Collingwoods BIA under the direction of Sue Nicholson Manager, Collingwood BIA. From our experience, I have lots of ideas. |
| The BIA was disbanded just a couple years ago. Working with the chamber should be first priority |
| Please embrace the Chamber – they already advocate for business success. |
| Parking |
| The downtown looks sad. |
| Parking is a major issue. Vendors / entertainers with equipment will bring extra vehicles to the downtown even before the increased business arrives (and that part would definitely be welcomed). The back alley access is terribly rutty and bumpy and if that could be fixed, that might create a few spots for merchants to park in (rather than on the main street or market square). Can some of the local churches offer up parking – it likely has some insurance implications, but surely that could be addressed. |
| Removing parking when you have an older community trying to get to businesses is not going to help small businesses |
| I live downtown and there is already limited parking in the downtown area, especially in winter |
| Concerned about driving people away from the downtown core as they cannot find parking, or additional parking that is nowhere close to downtown and you have to walk blocks to get to your apartment or to the downtown businesses. |
| Increase and promote new residential development that will support future pedestrian orientated retail and bring new people who will support them. New parking can be created by studying all the vacant/underused land behind the existing buildings along Sykes and created pedestrian pathways from the new parking areas to Sykes between some of the buildings (see existing path between former Stedman’s and the Wool Shop) |
| Harbour |
| We have a beautiful harbor. Increasing the pavillion size or adding another one. A food truck at the harbor is a must. Perhaps a “weekend” bus that transfers from the harbor to downtown and back. |
| Tourists |
| The vibe is fine and attracts enough tourists already. |
| Choose how Meaford can differentiate itself from other towns in trying to attract visitors – Cycling, hiking, fishing, sailing, restaurants/gourmand, etc. Then become the very best at what we have chosen. Note: We don’t currently many, if any cafés open in the evenings or weekends. As a result we don’t attract weekend cyclists despite us being on a major cycling trail. |
| Preserve that historical nature of the downtown It is a feature that has worked in other towns nearby. |
| Our updated Official Plan comments strongly supported preserving our downtown heritage and waterfront. Our elected representatives need reminding. |
| SummerFest, Easter Egg Hunt, Scavenger hunt are all fabulous initiatives that I truly hope continue to support our downtown |
| Summerfest has been the most amazing draw for the town in recent years, as well as COTB. Street vendors and local markets in plain site are very attractive to those passing by or maybe forgot about the market down at the water. It’s the most beautiful spot for the market and events, however people passing through town don’t know about it. |
| Would be nice to have up to date outdoor signs for events happening in and around town (fall fair/ parades and such like there is for the cotb. |
| I believe more green spaces, affordability of events and Saturday markets would be beneficial |
| Decorating of Downtown and attracting Foot traffic |
| Art window featuring a local artist each month. |
| 1. Seasonal street art/light canopy – think St. Catherines/St Pauls St or various locations throughout Europe 2. Lunch spots – think old town square with umbrella seating 3. Waterfront/harbour beautification – triangle awnings at various locations – promote foot traffic to seasonal food vendors in harbour, lots of opportunity for a beautiful open, large space 4. Promote foot traffic on walking trails – install interative learning stations / tree identification / biodiversity information |
| Yes get rid of that ugly sign at the end Nelson street BRING back our old sign or something comparable. I don’t know what a moose on a sign has anything to do with our wonderful community |
| Art and decorations are a great start. There are so many vacant store fronts and some buildings that look terrible and need a face lift. I think the vibe needs to be geared to families and young people. Young families are coming here and then leaving because there isn’t anything for them to do. The businesses try, but they can only do so much on their own. |
| We have great neighbours like Thornbury and Collingwood that have thriving downtown regions. Having streets cleaned and cleared of giant snowbanks is obvious for allowing people to park and walk safely. Perhaps some sort of ‘Instagramable’ art installation would bring people into the downtown area. |
| Let’s not just make Meaford for the ppl that visit. I in no way want to being a thornbury, where locals do not feel comfortable going to. I avoid that town all together because I do not feel welcome as a middle economic class local. |
| Local Retail |
| We should never have empty stores fronts, and we should work hard to ensure our landlords and business owners work to make their spots as inviting as possible. I would gladly volunteer to help with outside spiff-ups in the form of plantings or window displays..but the outside of the building should not be in disrepair. And the business should have to conform to our signage policy. Then we need to market ourselves as a place to come and shop and eat! |
| Listen to all the business owners uptown or downtown, allow them to put idea’s and a plan together. |
| Get rid of the dead business signs (Para Paints, Papa V’s, Love Me Longtime). If the business is gone, paint over the sign or something, then new business are responsible for taking theirs down when they close. |
| The hanging flowers and bikes are excellent. I think they are doing a great job keeping them watered. Weeds along sidewalks and some of the lawn care in parks needs more attention. I know a few residents are taking it on themselves to clean up overgrown gardens and weeds that are neglected. Private residence properties are letting things go, what happened to enforcing bylaws on that? We were once voted the most beautiful town with flower gardens everywhere. Can we get back to at least keeping the weeds off the sidewalks? |
| Yes!! Please revamp the way the stores present themselves to the public. Make signage guidelines, and colour palettes for outside signs and trim. ( as in only using Historical colours for example, so things are more unified) Make sure outside displays are correct for the season. (No winter urns in May!) make landlords fill their empty stores ! Either with incentives for business owners or fill with displays of other local arts, etc..so NO STORE IS EMPTY and looks UNKEMPT> |
| 1) Create a bypass for transport trucks and through traffic as Collingwood did. 2) Create a system whereby the store fronts or facades adhere to historic architecture and paint colour. 3) professionally Landscape Sykes Street Downtown 4) Print & Radio advertising including banners billboards and magazine ads all based on research. How many financial institutions, how many professional offices including medical, how many spas, hair salons, restaurants, cafes and clothing stores etc. exist in Meaford? |
| Honestly our town has a great vibe already. But it’s the vandalism that ruins it. A higher security or police presence in the evenings would be better IMO. |
| Stores to entice people to get out and stroll downtown. Pom Poms and McGuintys does a great job thus far |
| Maybe have a chip wagon where it was back in the 70,s near that patch of grass that was planted might create some vibe people hanging out there shooting the breeze while they eat |
| Murals on the breakwater and buildings, archways or entrance ways to beaches |
| Market Square in Creemore is a beautiful example of what Meaford could consider Art – the alleyway beside poms moms should be slowly filled with art. Water feature REvolving public installations – if Market square is created perhaps having either permanent or space for revolving exhibitions. Guidelines for street front signage initiated (perhaps not for existing businesses – but perhaps with the creation of a BIA they could help fund this ) so that there is consistency in signage much like down Collingwood – regarding size of colours, no backlit signs etc |
| Clean it up, maintaining look |
| I would suggest that large murals and decorative art pieces be placed in our downtown rather than at the harbour. This is a good way to attract people to the downtown area. Art is always an attraction and we have seen it used very successfully in other towns in Canada eg. Duncan BC. Flower baskets, light displays, scarecrows are some of the things that add beauty and interest to our downtown. |
| Move the art installation from the harbour up to the area where the Midas Mart was. Many more people will see it. Capitalize on summer events with additional marketing. Not everyone has Facebook. Can we do over the highway banners anymore? Bigger signs to promote events with dates clearly marked. Please ensure that spell check is used. (Check survey…in the poster). Like the anchor idea. Liked the wreath idea. Maybe a haunted walk? Maybe a scavenger hunt? |
| The places downtown that are NOT businesses but rather real estate, medical or wellness; hinder the flow of the facade as well as the experience of visiting downtown. Adding benches in these areas to create seating- funding business or helping them with crucial updates ie: painting, signs, art None of the businesses seem to be in this together; we are a very divided community- which shows in the format/layout of the current downtown. Absolutely 100% the LARGEST thing that SHOULD be happening in downtown Meaford is a campaign designed to educate the community about downtown, WHY shopping in your own community is beneficial and how it can benefit them! This would included sandwich signs with facts, window signs with facts and statistics, newspaper articles, and ADS. Examples: If every person in town spent $100/months downtown that increases our own community economy by 1.3 million dollars Community owned businesses put 70% of their money BACK into communities rather than the the 30% that large businesses do. You can piles of statistics in this! Being honest and telling the community their downtown is struggling; we need community support. Period. These things work, I’ve lived through a downtown floundering and now flourishing after implementing the education to the community. Going to events that Meaford people DO attend and asking them what they need, why they aren’t coming? Making events downtown NOT about money, but rather community, fun, joy, entertainment… things that will have people wanting to not only stay |
| Busters? Sidewalk painting Scavenger hunt Street dance |
| Are we a family town or are we a retirement community? It’s difficult for young families to move here (very pricy). But also, there isn’t much for our youth to keep themselves occupied and get involved in the community. We also need to come up with a solution for the 5 corners main intersection in town. With the kids going to school and families visiting in the summer, a huge car lineup happens. We need more options to get in and out of this town, so traffic does not pileup. It is so dangerous for our kids to cross the roads and for regular foot traffic. |
| Vendors at farmers markets should be locally produced, canadian products. Open up opportunities for community groups to have a presence in the square, eg. Meaford Garden Club in the spring.. |
| The market square idea is good for special event days like Christmas on the Bay. |
| Fill the empty storefronts |
| Leadership |
| We need to have a vision, a firm plan and move forward. |
| A clear vision is required. Having lots of concurrent ideas and initiatives can muddy the overall aesthetic and lead to confusing branding and effectiveness of marketing. |
Should Meaford bring back the BIA?
IF the parking lot were to be used as a Market Square, what uses would you like to see?
Leave a Reply