ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019 Downtownhalifax.Ca Executive Director’S Message
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ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019 downtownhalifax.ca Executive Director’s Message ....................................................................................................2 Mission ...............................................................................................................................................4 DHBC Staff ........................................................................................................................................4 Board of Directors ..........................................................................................................................7 Action Teams ....................................................................................................................................9 Advocacy ....................................................................................................................................... 10 Beautification ................................................................................................................................ 15 Marketing and Communications ............................................................................................ 18 Membership Engagement ........................................................................................................ 22 Budget ............................................................................................................................................. 25 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE The 2018 ECMAs Argyle Street Fest, a DHBC sponsorship activation during the 2018 East Coast Music Awards. Photo: Stoo Metz Photography downtownhalifax.ca 1 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE MESSAGE DIRECTOR’S NSCAD lit at night through the Gritty to Pretty Façade Lighting Grant. Photo: Stoo Metz Photography 2 downtownhalifax.ca IT IS AN INCREDIBLE TIME TO BE IN DOWNTOWN HALIFAX. IT IS INCREDIBLE because we are seeing sustained levels of new development and change to both our skyline and our streetscapes. It is incredible because we are seeing the implementation of new plans, like Centre Plan, Transit’s Moving Forward Together plan, and the Cogswell District plan. It is incredible because, in just the first few months that the new Halifax Convention Centre has been open, we have attracted high-profile events with thousands of delegates, who are exploring our streets and visiting our businesses. Incredible doesn’t always mean positive, though. Change brings with it upheaval, and for decades, The Argyle we became conditioned to small-scale, incremental and Grafton change. We yearned for new development, but forgot that development brings with it construction streetscape is disruption and some threats to the heritage assets “ winning acclaim EXECUTIVE we cherish. Well-intentioned, municipal plans and fans the still need to be fine-tuned so that they enhance world over. Paul MacKinnon Downtown. Challenges don’t just evaporate with Executive Director growth; they just change. As we look ahead and plan to tackle the challenges that are coming in 2019“ and beyond, we should also pause to enjoy the successes we have experienced. The award-winning Maple residential building has breathed 24-hour life into downtown. The Argyle and Grafton Streetscape is winning acclaim and fans the world over. The hammocks on the Halifax Waterfront never fail to bring a smile to one’s face. We have so much more to look forward to as well, including Queen’s Marque and its new waterfront park, reclaiming Cogswell for people, and the Barrington South Heritage District. We, your business commission, vow to continue to work hard on your behalf, DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE MESSAGE DIRECTOR’S to continue to make Downtown Halifax a place that, through all of its changes, remains the favourite part of Canada’s favourite city. downtownhalifax.ca 3 MISSION Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC) exists to DHBC STAFF make Downtown Halifax a great place to live, work, and play through: • improving business conditions • promoting economic development • supporting the common business interests • creating a positive image Visitors at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site. 4 downtownhalifax.ca Kimberly Dossett Ivy Ho Allana MacDonald Mills Director of Operations Director of Communications Director of Marketing Kuda Ndadzungira Eric Jonsson Membership Engagement Navigator Street Outreach Manager Program Coordinator (Sacha Curran is on parental leave) downtownhalifax.ca 5 6 downtownhalifax.ca Gordon Whittaker, Chair Renée Fournier Oakport Limited / Sacred Heart School of Halifax A.S. Developments Inc. Matthew Jarsky Adriana Afford, Vice Chair Jarsky Studios Ltd. Argyle Fine Art Jennie King Pino Pagnottella Royal Nova Scotia Secretary Treasurer International Tattoo Sterling Properties Dr. Euan McGinty Scott McGaw Ocean Optometry Member-at-Large 2017-2018 Meridia Recruitment Joe McGuinness Legendary Hospitality Group Jennifer Angel, Past-Chair Waterfront Development Mark Peyton Sailor Bup’s Barbershop Dan Bourque Crombie REIT Christian Rankin Obladee Wine Bar, Eric Burchill Wonderlust Media Southwest Properties Limited Jake Whalen Sarah Flynn Halifax Regional Municipality Colour of members BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF DIRECTORS BOARD have a 72%POSITIVE OUTLOOK Children playing on Downtown Halifax’s prospects in the fountain at Bishop’s Landing. in the next five years. Source: DHBC Membership Key Indicators Survey downtownhalifax.ca 7 2017-2018 ACTION TEAM MEMBERS ACTION Music fans enjoying the TD Halifax Jazz Festival. 8 downtownhalifax.ca ADVOCACY MARKETING Pino Pagnotella ACTION TEAM ACTION TEAM Sterling Properties Jennifer Angel Barbara Broome Kelly Rose Waterfront Development The Prince George Hotel Waterfront Development Eric Burchill Haley Clarke Southwest Properties The Barrington Steakhouse & MEMBERSHIP Limited Oyster Bar ENGAGEMENT ACTION TEAM Matthew Jarsky Erin Esiyok-Prime Jarsky Studios Ltd. Events East Group Dan Bourque Crombie REIT 2017-2018 Scott McGaw Jessica Pettigrew Meridia Recruitment Halifax Developments Limited Dr. Euan McGinty Ocean Optometry Pino Pagnottella Sarah Flynn Sterling Properties Colour Shannon Platt VERB Interactive Gordon Whittaker Renée Fournier Oakport Limited / Sacred Heart School of Halifax Christian Rankin A.S. Developments Inc. Obladee Wine Bar Jennie King Royal Nova Scotia Krista Wadman BEAUTIFICATION International Tattoo Art Gallery of Nova Scotia ACTION TEAM Krista Lingley Adriana Afford Parks Canada Argyle Fine Art Danielle McLean Dan Bourque Bistro Le Coq Crombie REIT Jessica Muzzerall ACTION TEAM MEMBERS ACTION T. J. Maguire Halifax Marriott Waterfront Development Harbourfront Hotel Peter Wünsch Laura Oakley Breakhouse Legendary Hospitality Group downtownhalifax.ca 9 ADVOCACY Mayor Mike Savage, moderator Amy Pugsley Fraser, Mayor Pam Mood, and Mayor Danny Breen during The Mayors’ Roundtable at the Downtowns Atlantic Canada Conference. Photo: TJ Maguire 10 downtownhalifax.ca Delegates at the Downtowns Atlantic Canada Conference. Photo: TJ Maguire Panelists Maki Kawaguchi, Jennifer Keesmaat, and Charles Gauthier, and moderator Kourosh Rad, at the Art of City Building Conference. Downtown Halifax Business Commission represents the voices and opinions of over 1,600 individual business members and building owners within the Downtown core. These members range from small entrepreneurs to large, multinational firms. All have a vested interest in the economic prosperity of the Downtown core. Ensuring that these members have a voice in critical issues that affect the Downtown will remain a priority of DHBC. MUNICIPAL ENHANCING HRM PLANS ADVOCACY DHBC was one of the participants in the Jennifer Keesmaat STREETSCAPES peer review of the Centre Plan. This year, DHBC will be Action 61 of the “Halifax Economic Growth Plan” calls for working with external consultants on the Cogswell District HRM to develop a long-term streetscaping program for the plan. DHBC is also one of the partners in “Leading with Regional Centre. DHBC has submitted a proposal which Transit,” an advocacy group seeking a fundamental shift in advocates for an ongoing system to prioritize streetscape the way the city experiences public transportation. projects, with funding coming from parking revenues. This would create a sustained program, replicating the success of PARTNERSHIPS the award-winning Argyle and Grafton Shared Streetscape. DHBC values its professional relationships with a number of other organizations, and offers small grants to organizations WORKING WITH HRM ON THEIR PLANS that are able to advance our strategic goals. DHBC is pleased It is vital that the municipalities’ various plans support that in recent years, the number of groups that subscribe to a their master plans, the Regional Plan and the Economic pro-Downtown agenda seems to be growing. Strategy, both of which support a strong Downtown. DHBC is committed to monitoring the progress and providing input ENHANCED FERRY SCHEDULE into all relevant plans. This year, that includes: Cogswell Connection across the harbour is essential for the District, Downtown bike lane network, the Centre Plan, Green businesses and residents of both Downtown Halifax and Network Open Spaces plan (aka the Greenbelt), Moving Downtown Dartmouth. In 2018, working in concert with Forward Together Transit plan, HRM by Design’s review, and the Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission, DHBC the Barrington South Heritage Conservation District. successfully lobbied to continue the enhanced level of ferry downtownhalifax.ca 11 service put in place during the Big Lift. Both organizations