HomeMy WebLinkAboutDAC 2011-07-14DOWNTOWN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
Jul 14 2D11 Ci of Kitchener
The Downtown Advisory Committee met this date, Chaired by Councillor Dan
Glen-Graham with- the following members in attendance: Alan Doherty, Cameron
DearlQVe, Amin Gilani, Tania Benninger, ,ramie Yantzi, Lisa Polonoski
The` following members were absent: Don Zehr, Mark Garner, Glenn Scheels,
Councillor Frank E#herington, Aaron MacFarlane, Cory Grossman and Lawrence
McNaught
Staff in attendance: Cory Bluhm, Kim 1=eere, Tracey DeVille
Discussion Items
1.1 Economic Deveio ment Adviso Committee U date
The last meeting surrounded a discussion on green energy.
1.2 Safe & Health Adviso Committee U date
No update at this time. The safety and signage of the Iron Horse Trail was
discussed.
1.3 Arts & Culture Adviso Committee U date
No update at this time.
2.1 Downtown Uudates
Cory Bluhm provided the committee with information on the downtown live
program that has been launched again this summer, noting that Kool FM is this
year's main sponsor.
He noted that this year there is something happening every Thursday night, live
music at Civic Square on Wednesday and Thursday and on Friday's there are
three locations over the lunch hour. The goal is to grow the program every year
and gather more interest.
Cory Bluhrn advised on the success of King Street through the upcoming
changes that other cities are now doing.
The Record is doing a movie series this summer, the first one was during Cruise
Night and was-well attended.
The Sign .By-iaw comments went to Council and the results were: Council
approved not allowing anymore back-lit signs, allowed video projection signs with
a distance extension, did not approve limiting the size of signs on a window.
2.2 Economic Development Symposium Update
The Committee was provided with a summary of_ideas that were heard on vitality
and residential.
Some additional comments were provided by the Committee:
• Separate bike lanes -- as we get higher density in the core we will need
them
• Food store -needs to be defined as to what size and look -what da you
see -- something where it makes more sense to go to everyday, name
brand is important #or attraction, fruits and veggie stands would be nice to
have.
• Have a market at City Hall on Wednesdays
• What about an incentive program for sidewalk vendors, hook them up with
the farmers that are at the market, advertise that is local
• Convention centre -especially if we are trying to bring in the tech #alent -
nearthe Lang tannery would be good, it is close to the transportation hub
• Rebuilding the Aud in the downtown would be good and you could
connect it to this.
• Movie theatre downtown is essential - it will bring people back downtown
and IMAX would be a good tie
• Public art should be in the high importance category -sculpture gardens,
etc... activity space, infrastructure that people can be engaged in that are
365 day a year .
• Parks that have workout equipment
• Kid friendly city amenities -not much to take kids to, parents came dawn
with their kids
In terms of Vitality, the following was heard:
• Do not like subside rent for the first year
• Programming our fountains to music and lights
• How are we going to communicate all of this -what do people want, how
are we going to attract them etc. do we have the best website, do we need
something just far social events -our current plan of action is to da target
marketing - what about something that is not labeled as `the city'
2.3 Sub-Committee Overview
One committee that has #o get together in August is for the official plan review -
the first draft is ready and we need a small group to work on that. Cory asked
that members that are interested in participating to let him know.
Meeting adjourned at 5:2d p.m.