New Horizons
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NEW HORIZONS 2017 ANNUAL REPORT Downtown Business Association Staff Left to right Katherine Hoy Manager of Marketing, Communications, and Special Events Terri St. Clair Information Coordinator Ian O’Donnell Executive Director Kayla Shapka Marketing Coordinator Table of Contents Mary Davies Office Manager and Executive 1 Mission Statement and Association Legal Profile Assistant 2 Message from the Chair 3 Message from the Executive Director Staff photo by Fred Katz taken at KPMG Edmonton 4 Board of Directors 5 Executive Committee 6 Business Recruitment Committee 8 Marketing Committee 12 2017 Infographic 14 Operations Committee 16 2017 Photo Collage 18 Financials 28 Board of Directors Photo Introduction Mission Statement Through its leadership in advocacy and promotion, the intent of the Downtown Business Association is to support, connect, and enrich Edmonton’s Downtown community. Goals As a non-profit organization funded by its members, the goals of the Downtown Business Association are to: • Promote Downtown Edmonton’s image and identity through events, promotions and marketing. • Communicate the on-going transformation of Downtown, while maintaining the historical esthetic through preservation and revitalization. • Encourage the highest standards for new developments and promote beautification, safety, mobility, and inclusivity. • Provide leadership and communicate matters of concern to members, government officials, and the public. • Partner with like-minded organizations to work on strategic initiatives affecting the Downtown core. Association Legal Profile The Downtown Business Association of Edmonton Business Improvement Area (BIA) was established by a City of Edmonton bylaw on November 26, 1985. The Association represents and services for-profit businesses located within the geographical boundaries of 95 Street to 111 Street, and 95 Avenue to 105 Avenue. The City’s official Downtown BIA is Bylaw #7968 (as amended). The members of the Board of Directors are elected by DBA members, and subsequently approved by City Council. Board members represent large and small businesses and other important institutions within the BIA. The City Councillor who represents Downtown is an ex-officio member of the Board. The Board of Directors oversees all Association affairs, including the preparation of the annual budget. Upon budget approval by the members and City Council, a uniform rate is established for the levy to all businesses within the BIA. Subject to minimum and maximum charge, the levy appears on the tax notice. 1 Message From the Chair On behalf of our Board of Directors, Executive Director Ian O’Donnell, our staff, and our standing committees, I am pleased to present the 2017 Annual Report for the Downtown Business Association. As the rest of our city was slowly recovering from the recession, major construction projects continued to drive the Downtown economy in 2017. Work continued on both the JW Marriott Hotel and the Stantec Tower, which celebrated a milestone last year – the completion of the commercial half of the 66 storey structure. Construction began on another major project, the Valley Line LRT, which will connect Downtown to Mill Woods when the first stage is completed in 2020. Downtown welcomed its first new park in 30 years. Alex Decoteau Park is proudly named after Canada’s first aboriginal police officer. A few blocks east of that our new funicular opened, giving people greater access to our beautiful river valley. Alyson Hodson 2017 was another busy year for the DBA. In March everyone’s favourite food event, Downtown Dining Week drew tens of thousands of food lovers to the core. The following month we awarded $80,000 in grants to 14 Downtown festivals. And with the support of local businesses we painted Downtown red and white - in celebration of Canada 150 - through our Bloomin’ Boulevards flower pot program. Our Core Crew Ambassadors returned for another summer. Dressed in their familiar red jackets and caps they provided helpful info to Downtown visitors, and led nearly 800 people on our free, historical walking tours. We hosted two seminars, giving our members the opportunity to engage with experts in the areas of security and business fundamentals. And we introduced two new seasonal events to the core: The DBA Holiday Window Decorating Contest, and a partnership with the City Market called Santa at the Market. And as always, we worked tirelessly to Support, Connect, and Enrich Edmonton’s Downtown Community. I invite you to review the following reports. I hope you’ll agree that our staff and committees do a great job of helping businesses prosper. Thank you for your continued support. We welcome your input and encourage your participation in the events, initiatives, and activities of our Association. 2 Message From the Executive Director So many changes on the new horizon! In 2017 we saw new openings, additions, and commencements in the core. The doors at Allard Hall and the Singhmar Centre for Learning both opened, welcoming thousands of new students to our Downtown. Livability and the shift to a more urban core was noted by the opening of Alex Decoteau Park and the Downtown bike lanes, something we will continue to see as people are choosing a more walkable, urban lifestyle. Downtown is now an in-demand place to live, one of the City’s fastest growing communities. New condominium and apartment towers are dotting the skyline, with over a dozen new residential towers in planning. This is essential to the future success of the Downtown and its businesses, Ian O’Donnell as it creates a critical mass throughout the day and evening. We continue to work with our partners to ensure that marginalized individuals will not be left behind. The City’s RECOVER initiative works with various groups to create an urban wellness strategy to make the City and our Downtown more supportive, inclusive, welcoming, and safer for all. 2018 will continue the trend we left off in 2017 with even more openings including the new and highly anticipated Royal Alberta Museum. This new cultural icon will bring a few hundred thousand visitors from the City, region and around the world to explore the history and heritage of this great Province. We will see the first tenants moving into the new Stantec tower, bringing a couple thousand more employees to the centre of Downtown. Our growing tech industry continues to expand its Downtown presence, with the most notable new addition being the future move of BIOWARE to EPCOR Tower. This trend will continue and reinforce Downtown as the premier technology neighbourhood. As we continue to see projects build off one another, the momentum will only continue. We must ensure that we continue to support all of these private and public investments in the core, as we see the blossoming of our new Downtown. It’s an exciting time. Join us in Downtown 3 2017 DBA Board of Directors The Board of Directors plays a pivotal role in governing the Downtown Business Association’s operations, including management, economic development and finance, planning, marketing and events, and member service functions. The members of the Board are elected at the Annual General Meeting and confirmed by City Council. They represent the diverse needs and interests of the Association’s constitution and Downtown Edmonton. The Board of Directors meets monthly to review committee actions and approve the priorities for future Association endeavours, as well as approve and implement strategies and tactics with regard to the Strategic Plan. Members Alyson Hodson, Chair Bob Black Michael MacBeath zag creative Katz Group EPCOR Gord Rajewski, Vice Chair Teresa Clouston Sheldon Magnes Williams Engineering ATB Financial Imperial Parking Rick Mussenden, Treasurer Joumana Ghandour Casey McClelland KPMG LLP The Westin Edmonton Colliers International Robert Bothwell, Executive Chris Graham Linda Wedman Bennett Jones LLP Shoppers Drug Mart The Works Society Patrick Saurette, Executive Ian Large Ex Officio: The Marc Leger Scott McKeen Walter Trocenko 4 Executive Committee The Executive Committee governs the management function of the Association. Its purpose is to recommend policy, monitor the implementation of the Strategic Plan, review committee reports, make recommendations to the Board of Directors, and provide input on overall staff operations. The Executive Committee is also responsible for the finances and financial procedures of the Association. 2017 Executive Members Alyson Hodson, Chair Robert Bothwell, Executive zag creative Bennett Jones LLP Gord Rajewski, Vice Chair Patrick Saurette, Executive Williams Engineering The Marc Rick Mussenden, Treasurer KPMG LLP 5 Business Recruitment Committee The Business Recruitment Committee (BRC) focuses on ways to improve the business environment in the Downtown core. Additional projects in the summer and throughout the year are aimed at building an increasingly liveable and walkable Downtown core with a business-friendly environment. BRC Members are experienced real estate and property management executives who have an interest in making Downtown Edmonton the best place to do business. Members Casey McClelland, Chair Denes Nemeth Colliers International AIMCO Dustin Bateyko David Olsen Cushman Wakefield Lizotte Gino Bit Glen Scheuerman Krahn Group Morguard Investments Robert Bothwell Jimmy Shewchuk Bennett Jones LLP EEDC Laura Bradley Eric Slatter Manulife Real Estate Omada Commercial Lance Frazier Brad Smith Cushman Wakefield Edmonton Canapen Investments Nick Lilley Sidney Waskiewich University