City council defers BDDC request for $25,000

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This article was published 09/10/2024 (605 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Brandon Downtown Development Corporation did not receive $25,000 in new funding it asked city council for, but Emmanuel Ahaneku, the organization’s executive director, says he’s not disappointed, adding, “The seed has been planted for the future.”

“I wasn’t expecting a yes or no,” Ahaneku said. “Most times, when you present your request, they take it to the budget session and that’s where they decide, so my going there was timely.”

Ahaneku made the funding request to council during Monday’s regular meeting. He said the increase is needed to “continue to support existing businesses and attract new ones to the downtown.”

“We’ve identified three huge capital projects that are basically $400,000,” Ahaneku told the Sun. “So, we are looking for an extra $25,000 from the city. Last year we received $350,000. That covers the grants we give, our payroll and operating costs. And now we are asking for $375,000.”

There were three projects Ahaneku brought to council, each requiring a boost of $135,000. The first is for a 14-court indoor pickleball facility planned for 1210, 1305 and 1411 Pacific Ave. The second is earmarked for Brandon Fresh Farms (BFF), which hopes to transform the historic McKenzie Seeds building into a state-of-the-art indoor farming facility. And the final project listed was a housing project that is planned for Princess Avenue and Ninth Street in 2025.

After Ahaneku’s presentation, council decided to put off his funding request until budget discussions begin in January.

There is still money in BDDC’s reserve, said Ahaneku, because of a grant from the federal government.

“We were approved for $400,000,” Ahaneku said, “and we’ve received $90,000, so we have about $310,000 left. But this $310,000 is spread over three years — 2024, 2025 and 2026.”

Included in Ahaneku’s presentation was a summary of the projects BDDC has supported since the start of the year, as well as the programs available to downtown businesses.

Under the BDDC’s Brandon Downtown Business Improvement program, 40 existing and new-to-downtown businesses and organizations benefited from up to 50 per cent of eligible expenses to a maximum of $10,000 for business strategy development, marketing, web services, accounting assistance, legal and IT support.

Those 40 businesses were supported between January and September of this year, and included West-Can Human Resource Solutions, Helping Hands soup kitchen, The Counselling Centre and Brandon School of Dance.

Six businesses received upgrades under the Façade and Storefront Improvement Program, including the New System Store, Union Shoe Store, Rolling Spokes and the Brandon Friendship Centre.

There are still challenges in Brandon’s downtown, Aheneku said, including homelessness and addiction, but he added that for the first time in several years, he has noticed a new level of co-operation and support from services like Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation, Westman Immigrant Services, Downtown BIZ, the YWCA, YMCA and Brandon Friendship Centre.

“We’ve had collaboration in previous years, of course,” said Ahaneku. “But I feel that what we have now is unique in terms of everybody pulling the same way, making sure things are being addressed.

“I’m bold enough to say this is unprecedented,” he said.

Also in front of councillors Monday evening was the transit study from the consultants who were hired last year to review Brandon Transit’s operations and come up with a long-term strategy.

Watt Consulting Group has held open houses, meetings with stakeholders and sent out surveys. Once it compiled the feedback, it came up with three options for addressing concerns with performance, safety and indirect routes as part of an overhaul of the transit system.

The first option will provide coverage like the existing system but “decentralizing” it by having three exchange points — the existing downtown exchange, an exchange near Shoppers Mall and an exchange at the Corral Centre.

The second option has the same exchange points as the first option but tries to make existing connections more direct and to focus on the most frequent route in the system — Route 1. This option would anchor the network with a frequent route along 18th Street that would connect all three exchanges in 30 minutes.

The third option, dubbed Option 2A, aims to address safety concerns at the downtown exchange point, moving the focus of the system to two exchange points near Brandon Shoppers Mall and the Corral Centre. Route 2 would not stop in downtown, but would serve Braecrest Drive and Assiniboine College North, giving access to the college from the North Hill and to Shoppers Mall.

Council accepted the transit report, and now Watt is expected to organize additional meetings or open houses to seek public feedback on the options.

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

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