A group of businesses in the downtown core have been approved for a Downtown Community Improvement Grant (DCIP) to fix their rear-facing facades.
The purpose of the DCIP grant is to incentivize local businesses to update and beautify their property to help revitalize the downtown core.
Holland Street businesses Jojo's Cafe, Cavros Hair Studio, Town Taxi, and Minho Restaurant border the John Street/Moore Street parking lot at the back which is currently being repaved and regraded.
To help match the businesses' back lots with the public parking lot, the town has approved four grant applications to help to repave the business lots and build a new staircase (behind Minho's).
The paving would help make the surface between public and private areas flow together for pedestrian traffic, and fix the existing drainage issues.
Earlier this summer, Council encouraged the business owners to consider applying for the DCIP grants to help cover the costs of the work.
After the paving estimates were completed, all but one of the businesses, (Jojo's) applied for the funding.
The work at Minho's Restaurant is being undertaken by owner Alex Bournazakis, to rebuild a staircase and railing at the back of the property, which had to be demolished to accommodate the new retaining wall for the John/Moore Street parking lot.
The stairs will provide access from the lot to the adjacent private alley and its merchants. Bournazakis has been approved for a total of $12,280 in grant funding: $9,340 to help cover the $18,680 cost of the staircase and railing with coating, which will connect the new retaining wall and railing system, and $2,940 for design drawings and a building permit.
The work at Town Taxi and Cavros Hair Studio is being undertaken by owners Susan Lynn and Alfiero and Assunta Cavalho, respectively.
The pair of businesses applied together and have been approved for a total of $5,562 in grant funding: $5,187 to help cover the costs of the removal, regrading, and repaving of their back exterior, and $375 for design drawings and building permits.
"I think this is a relatively small amount of money that checks a lot of boxes (of the DCIP program). I think it's a great way of improving the overall area," said Coun. Jonathan Scott.
"I think the DCIP program is perfect for this, partnerships with our building owners in the downtown core to create extra parking spaces, so I will support this," said Coun. Mark Contois.
Deputy Mayor James Leduc thanked the business for stepping up to have the work completed.
"We appreciative the businesses that stepped up to help our parking area, it will pay dividends to everyone," he said.
Mayor Rob Keffer also thanked the businesses for their efforts.
"We will move forward and have a more pleasing parking lot and it will benefit the whole area," he said.
Council voted unanimously to approve the grant applications.
