Downtown revitalization efforts continue

Efforts to revitalize downtown Brandon continued this summer as several organizations hosted events that drew thousands to the area.

During June, July and August, organizations that included Brandon Downtown BIZ, the Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation and the City of Brandon hosted numerous community events downtown. Representatives from each organization told the Sun at the tail end of summer that the events serve to improve the atmosphere in the area.

Emmy Sanderson, executive director of Downtown BIZ, told the Sun feedback has been positive, and she sees the event benefitting several areas.

“What I hear is, people are happy to see everything going on,” Sanderson said. “I like to break it down to that it supports business and it supports community.”

She added that the events this summer, such as music, yoga and downtown markets work together slowly over time to effect change in the area.

“It creates a positive atmosphere,” she said. “I truly feel the needle is moving downtown. There’s obviously still some work to do, but the needle is moving. And feedback from businesses saying their experience is more positive in the last couple of years is something that really fuels us.”

The Downtown Summer Market, now run by Downtown BIZ, expanded this year for the third year in a row, Sanderson said. It was held on Wednesdays from July to the end of August. Forty vendors took part this summer compared to 24 the year before and about 13 during its pilot year.

Sanderson said the market is an incubator for small businesses but at the same time promotes the core.

“It attracts people to downtown who maybe wouldn’t normally come down,” she said. “And then they see what’s there.”

Some business owners have told her of customers discovering them through the market, she said.

While efforts continue to stimulate activity in the area, it is difficult to quantify results, Sanderson said.

“It’s a super hard thing to measure success, because what you want to measure is how people feel, and how do you do that?” she said.

Sanderson said that Downtown BIZ is looking at a time frame of five to 10 years.

“We just keep going, and we keep doing things that are positive. And there are good days and bad days, but you just keep doing it.”

Downtown BIZ helps others organize events in the area, and was on track to provide roughly 15 grants of $2,000 this season to support downtown events. Downtown BIZ supported events such as the Kickin’ off the Summer block party, Naija Market Day and Downtown Cruise Night.

Brady Dane, recreation co-ordinator at the city, told the Sun in a recent interview that the Music in the Park series drew 2,000 to 2,500 guests to Princess Park this summer.

To put the show on, city staff haul bleachers to Princess Park in June for the summer. Then, on each Tuesday during the series, they work with performers at the park to set up speakers and microphones that fit the needs of their instruments.

The event is popular with many residents, drumming up a lot of interest and warm words, Dane said.

“We get a lot of phone calls, week to week, asking, ‘Who is it this week?’ and stuff like that,” he said. “When I or my staff speak to people in the audience, it’s always positive feedback.”

Going forward, the summer Music in the Park shows are expected to return next year. Dane said that the series has been located at Princess Park for roughly 10 years, and there are no plans to change the venue.

“Bringing an event like that downtown has lots of benefits and I think, overall as a community, we would like to revitalize and keep people coming downtown for enjoyable activities like this.”

The city also organizes an annual event downtown for National Garden Day, and an event to access historical Brandon sites, many of which are downtown.

The Garden Day event brought over 500 people to Stanley Park this year.

For the Doors Open event, a number of sites inside and outside downtown are made accessible to the public. An estimate of 500 guests participated in the visits at about a dozen sites this year, Dane said.

The Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation continued its “downtown ambassador” program this summer focused on enhancing the experience in the area, Hope Switzer, community development co-ordinator, told the Sun.

“The overall goal of the program is to create a warm and welcoming presence that adds to the downtown,” Switzer wrote.

She said the BNRC works to promote a safe, enjoyable space for the downtown community and a thriving hub for business and activities.

The BNRC has run the program since 2018 and taken on a number of small activities in the core, including Yoga in the Park, Coffee and Cards, and support for the Downtown Summer Market.

Community engagement, safety, beautification and social planning are some of the goals of programming and initiatives.

Recently, the BNRC picked up a few new programs, including Puppy Yoga, Carnival BBQ, BGMA Board Games support, Paint and Pizza Nights, Incredible Edible Gardens, Sidewalk Stencils and other beautification efforts. Zumba in the Park, Cafe Crawls and Bingo nights are also on the organization’s list. The BNRC also provided ambassadors to support the summer market this year.

» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com