Our roots in the Downtown
In the late 1960's and early 1970's, the Ontario government recognized the beginning of a decline in the prosperity of downtowns and neighbourhood commercial areas. As a result, legislation was enacted as part of the Municipal Act, to enable these areas to form Business Improvement Areas (BIA). A BIA was formed under the jurisdiction of local By-laws and allowed business areas to tax themselves and use the money to deliver programs for everyone in the area.
Queenstown was established in 1976 (By-law No. 76-419) as a Business Improvement Area. This BIA designation serves two functions: it allows the municipality to access provincial grants moneys for much needed physical and aesthetic improvements to the downtown and it established a framework for an association for the downtown.
The initial By-law defined Queenstown as Queen Street and all the buildings on Queen Street from East Street to Dennis Street. After five years of planning, negotiations and consultations, the area boasted new sewers, waterlines and other underground services as well as surface aesthetic improvements. That same year, a full-time staff member was hired and a Queenstown Association office was officially established. In 1987, Pim Street to East Street was also refurbished (Heritage Square) and it officially became part of Queenstown in January 1988.
In 1998, for "marketing purposes", the Queenstown Association formalized the use of the name Downtown Association. This also coincided with significant provincial legislative changes where business taxes and assessments were eliminated. The responsibility for all commercial taxes shifted entirely to business "property" owners. For Queenstown, it meant that the approximately 150 commercial property owners were the members. Amendments to the municipal Act in 2001 recognized that portions of tenant rents were applied to taxes and membership was extended from just land owners to include tenants of properties.
The Downtown Association has a membership base of approximately 400 members including 150 building owners and approximately 250 tenants. The BIA formally covers an area more than one km in length. Recognizing that the downtown is more than just the BIA, the Downtown Association has championed the concept of a larger downtown core to include the Station Mall, the Gateway site to the west and the hospital area to the east. Essentially the area defined by "river to rail" now falls under the definition under the IBI Downtown Improvement Study.
Queenstown was established in 1976 (By-law No. 76-419) as a Business Improvement Area. This BIA designation serves two functions: it allows the municipality to access provincial grants moneys for much needed physical and aesthetic improvements to the downtown and it established a framework for an association for the downtown.
The initial By-law defined Queenstown as Queen Street and all the buildings on Queen Street from East Street to Dennis Street. After five years of planning, negotiations and consultations, the area boasted new sewers, waterlines and other underground services as well as surface aesthetic improvements. That same year, a full-time staff member was hired and a Queenstown Association office was officially established. In 1987, Pim Street to East Street was also refurbished (Heritage Square) and it officially became part of Queenstown in January 1988.
In 1998, for "marketing purposes", the Queenstown Association formalized the use of the name Downtown Association. This also coincided with significant provincial legislative changes where business taxes and assessments were eliminated. The responsibility for all commercial taxes shifted entirely to business "property" owners. For Queenstown, it meant that the approximately 150 commercial property owners were the members. Amendments to the municipal Act in 2001 recognized that portions of tenant rents were applied to taxes and membership was extended from just land owners to include tenants of properties.
The Downtown Association has a membership base of approximately 400 members including 150 building owners and approximately 250 tenants. The BIA formally covers an area more than one km in length. Recognizing that the downtown is more than just the BIA, the Downtown Association has championed the concept of a larger downtown core to include the Station Mall, the Gateway site to the west and the hospital area to the east. Essentially the area defined by "river to rail" now falls under the definition under the IBI Downtown Improvement Study.
As of 2008, the Downtown Association implemented an Associate Membership program which enables commercial businesses located within the current hospital location to Huron Street and from river to rail to become members. This effort will further build on the Downtown profile and add to a 'below-the-hill' shopping and service sector. Associate members voluntarily subscribe to the program and receive all the same benefits as the 'traditional' members with the exception of voting privileges at the Annual General Meeting. Further information on this program can be found elsewhere on this website.