A Vital Downtown for Brandon

(from an announcement at the Brandon School of Dance on Friday, October 1st)

Great cities have great downtowns! A great downtown draws people in, it inspires, energizes, and tells the story of the people who inhabit it.

Why is downtown revitalization needed in Brandon? Research shows that a healthy, vibrant downtown boosts the economic health and quality of life of the whole community. It creates jobs, incubates small businesses, reduces sprawl, protects property values, and increases the communities options for goods and services. A healthy downtown is a symbol of community pride and history.

Brandon needs to let go of its memories of a 1950s era downtown that was the region's central shopping area. It's a natural part of the renewal cycle for a downtown to take on a new identity, to reinvent itself every few decades, transforming how people see it and use it. What we need to focus on now, is what do we want this unique physical area to be in order to meet Brandon's and Westman's current and evolving needs?

The key feature in successful downtown redevelopments has been patience. A relentless effort, a well-designed strategy, and energy from many directions are also integral to the revitalization that will make downtown Brandon distinct and thriving.

Goal 1: Carving out a distinct economic role
Downtown should be a centre of arts, culture, creativity, innovation, and knowledge and serve as an incubator for artists and entrepreneurs.
Other communities have found success in developing their downtowns into vibrant centres of arts and entertainment. Fargo has rebuilt its downtown with a focus on restaurants and entertainment. Other cities, using culture as a catalyst for their downtown renewal see public art installations, live performances, film theatre, dining, and the development of creative events as critical to adding vibrancy.

Brandon has a good start on creating a critical mass of entertainment and leisure opportunities in our downtown. We also have a summer special events to to bring folks downtown, and the Manitoba Institute of Culinary Arts could be a competitive advantage in a food-focused plan. along Princess Avenue, there is the YMCA, Princess Park with Oliver's Bistro BBQ, and the new Kristopher Campbell Memorial Skateboard Plaza. A bit further along and Clancey's offers a unique restaurant-pub experience. Along Rosser, we have more pubs, bars, and great restaurants. Sandwiched between the Brandon School of Dance and Steppin' Time Dance Studio is the former Strand Theatre with its potential as a performance venue. Bookstores, the public library, independent art galleries as well as the Art Gallery of SouthWestern Manitoba are part of the cultural foundation of Brandon. This culture-entertainment cluster is established, we just need to build on it and ensure that it thrives and grows.

Goal 2: Encourage more people to live and work downtown.
A complete, livable community, downtown should be a neighbourhood where people live, meet, stroll, shop, congregate, learn, and play.
To make downtown Brandon an attractive, safe, interesting place to live and work, we must respect and celebrate downtown Brandon's unique built heritage. Residential opportunities must be diverse and include housing at affordable as well as market rates. The city needs to be an active partner, promoting the quality of life of downtown living, as well as looking for opportunities to assist residents.

Goal 3: Develop a macro-economic strategy for downtown Brandon that supports existing business and attracts new development.

• Linkages with government agencies such as NRC and Renaissance Brandon. Each sector and partner has a role to play and each must understand the strengths and limitations of the other in order to forge an effective partnership.
• Design that enhances the historic architecture- capitalizing on its best assets and pedestrian friendly streetscapes is just part of the story. An inviting atmosphere created through attractive window displays or artists studios in the windows of empty buildings, parking areas, building improvements, street furniture, signs, sidewalks, streetlights and landscaping convey a positive visual message about the downtown and what it has to offer.
• Promotions and marketing sell a positive image of downtown Brandon and encourages consumers and investors to live, work, shop, play, and invest in downtown Brandon.
• Economic restructuring and diversification strengthen Brandon's existing economic assets while expanding our base. Brandon needs to put more effort into Renaissance Brandon and Economic Development Brandon to help sharpen the competitiveness of existing business owners and recruit compatible new businesses and new economic uses to build a downtown that responds to Brandon's current needs. Part of that effort could be converting unused or underused commercial space into economically productive properties which would also help boost the profitability of downtown. the city may have to use both sticks and carrots to ensure that property owners are part of the process.
• Safety- "eyes on the street" has been the most effective way of reducing crime and making the streets feel safer. That means more people downtown. While we wait for that critical mass of population density, Brandon City Police could be more visible, increasing their foot patrols, with emphasis in gathering areas such as Princess Park and the front of the Brandon Inn.

Downtown Brandon needs to be re-visioned as a magnet for visitors. Redevelopment projects must be capable of regenerating their economic base. To be sustainable, downtown Brandon must be equipped to seize new, economic opportunities.

And finally, development must reflect downtown's unique characteristics, which means establishing a new system for planning approvals, re-evaluating property tax principles, and zoning.

• the zoning, tax, and regulatory frameworks need to be reviewed to insure that they help and not hinder downtown development. Zoning codes initially written reflect the new suburban ideal of the automobile and wide, open spaces. They don't work well with a downtown's density. Front, read, and sideyard setbacks, parking restrictions, and other suburban zoning codes fail to take into consideration attached, multi storied buildings with no setbacks. The need to seek special permits and variances and other municipal approvals add to the cost and complexity of development and may discourage potential developers. The requirement for parking is also a deterrent and is creating a sea of asphalt and interrupting the walk-ability of our streets.

the objective is to determine a mix of different attractions that ring a mix of people downtown at different times of day, on different days. If Moose Jaw, Regina, Fargo had the same starting point as Brandon in terms of challenges and opportunities, why have they been successful with their revitalization efforts, and Brandon continues to languish?

First we need leadership and vision to say that downtown is a priority for Brandon. And then we need the plan.....