ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020 Canada’s Favourite Downtown CONTENTS Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo Highland Dance Team entertaining all ages at The Halifax Lights Festival. Stoo Metz/Click Productions Executive Director’s Message ................................................................................................3 Mission ..............................................................................................................................................4 Vision .................................................................................................................................................5 DHBC Staff .......................................................................................................................................6 Board of Directors ........................................................................................................................8 Action Team Members ................................................................................................................9 Strategic Framework ............................................................................................................... 10 Strategic Plan .............................................................................................................................. 12 Strategic Priorities and Objectives ................................................................................... 15 How DHBC is Funded ................................................................................................................ 19 DHBC Levy .................................................................................................................................... 20 Budget ............................................................................................................................................. 21 Cover – Salsa on Argyle Street. Photo by Stoo Metz Photography Cover, lower left – Pet portraits with Santa at the Halifax Lights Festival. Photo by Stoo Metz/Click Productions Cover, lower middle – Colourful summer fashion at Biscuit General Store Cover, lower right – NSCAD University Fountain Campus, recipient of a Gritty to Pretty Façade Lighting Grant. Photo by Stoo Metz Photography downtownhalifax.ca 1 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE FIFA World Cup Argyle Street Viewing Party, presented by HFX Wanderers 2 downtownhalifax.ca Paul MacKinnon EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE Executive Director AT LAST YEAR’S INTERNATIONAL DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE, former Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper looked out at the crowd of a thousand business commission professionals gathered and stated, “You all suffer from acute topophilia.” After a dramatic pause, as we all wondered if we should see a doctor, he explained, “A love of place.” The word was coined by British poet John Betjeman, but in our modern parlance, it can perhaps be better understood from Halifax’s own poet, Joel Plaskett, who wrote, “There’s a reason why I love this town.” We all love this city. We love Downtown Halifax. This year’s annual report is dedicated to our brand new, three-year strategic plan. Between September and February, our organization, led by a special committee created by the Board of Directors, engaged with restaurants, retailers, hotels, landlords, office workers, developers, residents, economic development partners, and other stakeholders through focus groups and analysis of our 2018 membership survey. With that feedback the Board and staff worked to clearly identify our top priorities over the next few years. A vision needs to be a stretch – but be attainable. We decided that our vision is to be nothing less than Canada’s favourite downtown. That sounds right, doesn’t it? You’d be pretty hard-pressed to find a visitor that doesn’t love this place. Even those who live here and who criticize it, often do so out of love and a desire to see the potential of this place fully realized. As you will see in the pages that follow, our plan seeks to attain this vision by adopting five strategic priorities, each with its own set of programs and objectives. Those priorities are: • Downtown Mobility • Good Development • Downtown Placemaking • DHBC Leadership • Member Services We are excited about working with you, our members, through our Action Teams, Neighbourhood Captains Program, or membership engagement strategy. We are excited about executing this plan over the next three years to realize this vision together. downtownhalifax.ca 3 MISSION CANADA’S FAVOURITE DOWNTOWN A hungry crowd at DHBC’s Welcome to Downtown Halifax BBQ 4 downtownhalifax.ca 173 dedicated volunteers at the 25th Anniversary Clean Sweep TO PASSIONATELY PURSUE A MORE VISION PROSPEROUS AND VIBRANT DOWNTOWN. downtownhalifax.ca 5 DHBC STAFF Kimberly Dossett Ivy Ho Allana MacDonald Mills Director of Operations Director of Communications Director of Marketing 6 downtownhalifax.ca Kuda Ndadzungira Nate Taylor Eric Jonsson Membership Engagement Operations and Events Navigator Street Outreach Manager Coordinator Program Coordinator downtownhalifax.ca 7 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2018 -2019 Gordon Whittaker, Chair Lisa Drader-Murphy Oakport Limited/ Lisa Drader-Murphy A.S. Developments Inc. Erin Esiyok-Prime Adriana Afford, Vice Chair Events East Group Argyle Fine Art Sarah Flynn Pino Pagnottella, Sara Flynn Consulting Secretary Treasurer Sterling Properties Joe McGuinness Legendary Hospitality Group Eric Burchill, Member at Large Southwest Properties Limited Kristin O’Toole Develop Nova Scotia Scott McGaw, Member at Large Meridia Recruitment Sanjeev Pushkarna Nova Scotia Power Kourosh Rad RAD Consulting Christian Rankin Obladee Wine Bar, Wonderlust Media Jake Whalen Halifax Regional Municipality A refreshing beverage at The Stubborn Goat Beer Garden 8 downtownhalifax.ca ACTION TEAM MEMBERS 2018 -2019 ADVOCACY T. J. Maguire Sarah Flynn MEMBERSHIP ACTION TEAM Develop Nova Scotia Sarah Flynn Consulting ENGAGEMENT ACTION TEAM Eric Burchill Pino Pagnotella Krista Lingley Southwest Properties Sterling Properties Parks Canada Tyler Beers Limited Marsh Canada Limited Kourosh Rad Danielle McLean Scott McGaw RAD Consulting RCR Hospitality Group Dan Bourque Meridia Recruitment Crombie REIT Annie Rankmore Jessica Muzzerall Deborah Page Discover Halifax Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Kevin Burgess Develop Nova Scotia Hotel Ambassatours Gray Line/ Jeremy Smith Murphy’s on the Water Pino Pagnottella Freak Lunchbox Laura Oakley/Jennifer Sterling Properties Kurmey Pino Pagnotella Nick Willwerth Legendary Hospitality Group Sterling Properties Sanjeev Pushkarna Crombie REIT Nova Scotia Power Pino Pagnotella Christian Rankin Peter Wünsch Sterling Properties Obladee Wine Bar Gordon Whittaker Breakhouse Oakport Limited/A.S. Jessica Pettigrew Developments Inc. MARKETING Crombie REIT ACTION TEAM Emily Richards BEAUTIFICATION Barbara Broome Neptune Theatre ACTION TEAM The Prince George Hotel Jenna Rideout/Kelly Rose Adriana Afford Katie Conklin Develop Nova Scotia Argyle Fine Art Discover Halifax Lindsay Ann Cory Erin Esiyok-Prime Nocturne Events East Group downtownhalifax.ca 9 DHBC GUIDING PRINCIPALS Best & Next Practices. Beauty & Design. Diversity. Environmental Sustainability. Fiduciary Accountability. Transparency. GOOD STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES DEVELOPMENT • Strategic development framework for Encourage Downtown development that • Design guidelines for private & large-scale positively impacts infrastructure development Downtown vibrancy & • Change in the construction mitigation prosperity bylaw • Effective communications related to large development projects. URBAN MOBILITY Advocate for an easily accessible, pedestrian friendly Downtown that permits ready access to downtown businesses OBJECTIVES • Improved street parking availability • Increased public transit ridership • Expanded alternative mobility options • Increased pedestrian traffic • Reduced truck traffic ACTION TEAMS | AREAS OF FOCUS Advocacy. Beautification. Marketing & Communications. Member Engagement. 10 downtownhalifax.ca Best & Next Practices. Beauty & Design. Diversity. Environmental Sustainability. Fiduciary Accountability. Transparency. MEMBER SERVICES OBJECTIVES Build relationships • Be the voice of the members with members, be a • Create collaboration & input DHBC resource for problem opportunities solving and advocate • Increase professional for common issues development opportunities • Enhance awareness & promotion of member benefits DHBC DOWNTOWN LEADERSHIP PLACEMAKING Be the recognized expert Champion best practices resource & voice of in planning, design, Downtown, the leader, management & utilization facilitator & convener of public spaces that of strategic discourse & inspire continuing communications & increasing vibrancy in Downtown OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES • Enhance DHBC’s profile • Strengthen beautification efforts • Be the expert on all things downtown Downtown • Strengthen & improve the DHBC brand • Increase event attendance • Increase awareness of Navigator • Advocate for & inform development, outreach program among members maintenance & activation of new & existing public spaces Advocacy. Beautification. Marketing & Communications. Member Engagement. downtownhalifax.ca 11 DHBC STRATEGIC PLAN 2019-2022 The DHBC Downtown Halifax Crew keeping the streets clean during the summer months 12 downtownhalifax.ca This plan focuses primarily on strategic opportunities for enhancing the Downtown area and positioning DHBC as the expert in Downtown issues. “ ” N SEPTEMBER 2018, THE STRATEGIC