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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-05-23 DAAC Minutes 1 Downtown Action Advisory Committee May 23, 2024, 4:00 p.m. Grand River Room City of Kitchener 200 King Street W, Kitchener, ON N2G 407 Present: S. Castle, Member J. Leslie, Member W. Turman, Chair B. Van Dam, Vice Chair Councillor S. Stretch, Member G. Eveleigh, Member J. Birnstihl, Member Staff: T. Mistry, Committee Administrator _____________________________________________________________________ 1. Commencement The meeting commenced at 4:04 p.m. The meeting began with a Land Acknowledgement given by the Chair. Do any members require childcare, transit, or parking reimbursement? 1 parking pass. 2. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof None. 3. Delegations None. 4. Information Items 4.1 All-Advisory Committees meeting update W. Turman attended this meeting, organized by Compass Kitchener, about the Kitchener Strategic Plan. It was a networking opportunity for the different 2 advisory committees, and everyone shared a bit about their committee's focus and work.  Equity Committee: evaluates grant applications  Economic Advisory Committee: provides comment on larger Economic Development investments  Trails: Vision 0, comments on site design  Heritage  Arts and Culture: Arts plan  Climate Change (Councillor Stretch also sits on this Committee)  Mayor's Advisory Committee for Seniors Had some conversations about pedestrianizing King, and there is some interest from other groups. There is opportunity to continue to cross-pollinate, and to bring specific items to other aligned committees. 4.2 Pedestrianization Sub-Committee update Brief discussion of new Pedestrianization Sub-Committee's goals and scope:  G. Eveleigh: Clarity of scope, deliverables and impact. Instead of making a beautiful proposal, do we take a broader approach?  Look at the downtown areas. Where do the issues exist? What sort of pedestrian priorities could be applied to those areas?  Present a toolbox  C. Bluhm: A suggestion: Describe the ambition/the ultimate goal. Bring it back to us. Staff can flag the roadblocks and DAC can have a conversation about how to overcome them.  A. Girard: Knit it into the Strategic Plan  G. Eveleigh: Proposal to close it down pre-commits to an outcome. First we need to study, before deciding from the start what we want to do.  W. Turman: The stage we're at is scoping out what our deliverable will be.  S. Castle: What problems are we trying to solve? What strategic objective are we trying to align this with? 3  G. Eveleigh: Vision 0 document has data about this that would be relevant. Council is redirecting funds to hotspots related to Vision 0. 5. Discussion Items 5.1 Economic Development Strategic Plans C.Bluhm leads the City's Economic Development team, which contains 7 teams, including Downtown, Special Events, Kitchener Market, Arts and Creative Industries, Small Business Centre, Business Development... Economic Development is a big team, and touches on a lot. Four different advisory committees are involved. Some of the feedback we've gotten in the past is to bring stuff intentionally that is relevant to a particular committee instead of bringing everything to every committee. Strategies that guide our work:  Council's strategic plan o Council wants to see a special events and festivals strategy next year (that will affect downtown)  The Downtown Vision and Principles: what can we do to continually build a downtown that aligns with this vision?  Make it Kitchener: our big, long-term investments. Maybe one or two come up a year. Economic Recovery is generally wrapped up. o How do we stay ahead of where the world is heading, at the forefront of change instead of responding. o This was built and informed by community o Health Innovation - our community is getting older and the cost to healthcare will be significant. We can't tax our way out of this problem, we need innovation. Major investment with University of Waterloo on the Innovation Arena. This will be located downtown. It's on it's way - there isn't too much this committee can engage with. We will have a space inside for our Small Business Centre to operate and that advisory committee will be involved. o Bramm Yards area - previously came to DAC for input about it's vision and principles. Will be bringing to Council in June. Opportunity here if Committee is interested in seeing the input/changes and providing further input before the report goes to Council. Long term project. 4 Many steps in the coming months and years that this committee can provide input on if that would be of interest.  Are you looking to retain municipal ownership? That is part of what will be debated in June. Likely not as the City doesn't build major buildings like this.  As it's redeveloped, what is important to the community? o Creative industries: we need to be at the forefront of creative industry growth. Conestoga collaboration - potential to build a school of creative industries downtown. There will be a point where we need to bring a business case to council about whether we want to invest in this partnership.  Would that hub be like the innovation area? No, more like the school of Pharmacy. An academic institution. But there are community component opportunities. o 44 Gaukel: ACAC has played a strong role with advancing this o Start-up Network: This community grows from within. Creation of the SDG Idea Factory (incubator and co-working space for social entrepreneurs) o Square Peg: is the committee interested in supporting it's evolution? o Affordable and attainable housing: main investments are not downtown. Two weeks ago donated a large parcel to Habitat for Humanity. But in the years to come there might be downtown opportunities. o A Vibrant and Active City: the community said the City needs to be fun if businesses are going to be successful. The Gaukel Block. The Conrad Centre - looking at a new operating model (ACAC has been involved). Opportunity to have input as well.  Largely your role is advice. If you were in Council's shoes, would you see these as worthwhile investments that serve our community in the future? If not, how can we address that?  Core work: Vision and Guiding Principles should guide the work we do. Intentionally flexible. An open door to be engaged in the work that Questions: 5  Is the Vision and Guiding Principles a precursor to a larger master plan for Downtown? o The community has clearly said this is the kind of downtown it wants to become. What are the next actions that could bring this to life? How do we help bring it to fruition? Rather then a prescription for how it must be. Economic Development is going to gather the work that all the teams are doing across other departments. Can bring that to you and ask - where are the gaps?  How do you evaluate these things? They seem subjective.  Affordable Housing Working Group: Created the Housing for All strategy. That could be a starting place.  Arts and Culture Committee - overlapping interest, such as for the Conrad Centre o A. Girard gave an update about the Conrad survey and what's next. There might be a meeting before it goes to Council.  Usual timeline is that a recommendation gets published on a Friday, the following week staff will meet with committees to provide feedback on the report prior to it being shared with Council.  This committee has always leaned toward action.  Go for it! We can help guide you to ensure the work is meaningful and has impact. If you have an idea, throw it out there. Discussion about areas of interest:  W. Turman: Affordable Housing: here are the DAC principles for what Downtown affordable housing looks like. o Find out about the working group. What are they working on? Find out what staff is supporting group. o This is what we think about affordability.  B. Van Dam: Meeting about the Bramm Yards report before it goes to Council could be an opportunity to actually close the loop on something.  G. Eveleigh: Pedestrianization sub-committee - putting together that document would be meaningful. 6  B. Van Dam: Committee can provide advocacy to help move something through the barriers.  W. Turman: DAC can preemptively craft a statement supporting Gaukel Pedestrianization. o Could we capture positive stories? Stand there with an iPad and talk to people? o Shall we pass a motion? Motion made by W. Turman: DAC supports the permanent closure of the right of way to cars of Gaukel Street between Joseph and Charles, and Charles and Halls Lane. Seconded by G. Eveleigh. Unanimously moved. 5.2 What's New in DTK? Quick sharing about new businesses and happenings in downtown Kitchener. 6. Adjournment Meeting adjourned at 5:45pm.