Happy New Year to All, with fervent wishes that 2021 is a far, far better year that was 2020.
The BGBIA Organizing Committee has been busy behind the scenes since we last reached out to our local business community. In October, we opened a dialogue with the City of Victoria, notifying them of our intent to launch a BIA in the Burnside Gorge neighbourhood. We connected, with and are being coached by, representatives of the City of Victoria, City of Vancouver, BC Housing and the former Executive Director of the Downtown Victoria Business Association, Ken Kelly.
We have recently applied for and received a copy of the City’s assessment roll so we can identify the key properties we need to bring on board and help us to determine what a potential BIA budget might look like.
We applied for a “My Great Neighbourhood Grant” under the Community Recovery and Resiliency Program and, in mid-December, we received notification that our application was approved. The funds will be used to establish a brand identity and a website, through which surveys will be administered to gather and solicit data to help shape our business plan.
Surveys will identify:
- What types of businesses are in Burnside Gorge
- What issues they face in the neighbourhood or barriers to business growth
- What vision they have for the neighbourhood in the future, and
- What a BIA can do to help support and grow their business.
After the surveying process is complete, the website will continue to promote the business plan and campaign to launch a BIA in our neighbourhood.
The organizing committee is seeking additional volunteers from the business community, to help with the work that still needs to be done. We are looking for representatives from light industrial, retail and food/beverage. We need large and small business owners. Prior to launch, we must form a Society and require the election of a Board of Directors to govern the organization and its staff, and maintain outreach to the business community. Burnside Gorge needs you!
