Downtown Niagara Falls Strategic Plan

2022-2026 STRATEGIC PLAN Funding for this project has been provided by the government of Ontario

Table of Contents Beautification, Revitalization & Maintenance

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Member Communication & Advocacy

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Marketing & Promotion

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Economic Development & Business Recruitment

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Special Events

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Beautification, Revitalization & Maintenence Continuously improve the downtown environment and ensure it is physically and environmentally attractive.

Objectives Help move the Downtown Strategic Plan forward thereby meeting the aesthetic goals of the downtown.

Initiatives 1. Improve Physical Customer Experience • Paint arches • Develop signage plan that aligns to districts and guide • Invest in banners to link Victoria Street and guide tourists and visitors towards Downtown • Replace gateway signage on River Road • Implementation of signage plan 2. Parks Activation • Activate underutilized spaces including laneways and parks to create unique public spaces and experiences, in partnership with members, partners and stakeholders.

4. Work with the City of Niagara Falls • Advocate for support on mutually beneficial improvements • Develop plan for gathering spaces and use front of City Hall as an event venue 5. Streetscaping Furniture •

Develop regular maintenance program and develop a current inventory of beautification projects and resources

• Implementation of regular maintenance schedule • Update and purchase new street furniture

3. Holiday Lighting

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Downtown Niagara Falls 2022-2026 Strategic Plan

Member Communication & Advocacy Advocate, lobby, and represent our members at all levels of government and be the voice of downtown businesses.

Objectives Have at least 7 of the councillors understand and support the efforts of Downtown, leading to an improvement of the downtown.

Initiatives 1. Member Advocacy • Enhance committee involvement • Commit to meeting with individual councillors once a year • Encourage councillors to attend our AGM

3. Board Communication • Development of a new Board member onboarding process • Increasing percentage of Board members attending the OBIAA Conference.

• Invite MP and MPP to attend AGM and advocate for downtown’s Survey Members 2. Education: Member Engagement •

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Build member confidence and empowerment in dealing with social issues through the development of tools, resources, and educational opportunities.

Downtown Niagara Falls 2022-2026 Strategic Plan

Marketing & Promotion Develop, implement, promote and manage customer driven programs to effectively market Downtown Niagara Falls.

Objectives Increase awareness of offerings to Southern Ontarians thereby increasing the number of visits, shoppers, and interactions.

Develop a marketing plan that looks at options for the target markets that use Downtown.

Initiatives 1. Winter Festival of Lights Membership •

Member on Board of Winter Festival of Lights as well as increased lights and marketing per year

4. Downtown Gift Card 5. Niagara Falls Tourism • Paid promotion in annual tourism guide 6. Miscellaneous

2. Downloadable and Viewable Experience Guides

• Develop brand kits for Downtown Members

• Create downloadable and viewable experience guides • For example: professional food guide for distribution at hotels and vendors - professional photos, updated and printed annually 3. Marketing Strategy • Develop a marketing strategy to implement in collaboration with businesses

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Downtown Niagara Falls 2022-2026 Strategic Plan

Economic Development & Business Recruitment Promote, encourage and support Economic Development initiatives that benefit Downtown Niagara Falls.

Objectives To have Downtown Niagara Falls declared an Economic Development Engine.

Keep Downtown Strategic Plan top of mind.

Initiatives 1. BIA Membership Guide

5. Downtown WiFi

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• Make it easy for visitors to connect to internet and services

Develop information guide for incoming members and deliver to all members when first developed.

2. Property Owners & Vacant Spaces •

Increase communication with property owners to maintain a fluid listing of available vacant commercial space and promote vacant space.

3. Crime Prevention Leadership & Advocacy • Advocate for the community wide adoption and implementation of the guiding principles of Crime Prevention Strategies to improve safety issues.

4. Win This Space Program

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6. BIA Expansion • Connect major entrance, Victoria from Hwy 420, into downtown to ensure economic growth, business recruitment, marketing, street scaping, and beautification.

7. Market Intelligence •

Provide market intelligence and tools to members/prospective members to build resilience, sustainability and facilitate decision making.

8. Reputation Building •

Build the Downtown’s reputation through proactive public relations and media relationships, creating positive and strategic improvements and experiences.

Downtown Niagara Falls 2022-2026 Strategic Plan

Special Events Organize, promote, and manage events that will highlight the benefits and attract more people and customers to Downtown.

Objectives To increase and/or improve the number of events, increasing the number of people participating.

Attract people to Downtown and develop a sense of community in the downtown.

Develop partnerships with existing activities.

Initiatives 1. Revenue Sources • Develop additional revenue sources for operational use through sponsorship cultivation 2. Storytelling: Experiences •

Animate and tell the story of the neighbourhood, past, present and future, to residents and visitors through all four seasons.

4. Activations Rather than Event Production • Create and facilitate the seasonal production of activations and experiences that increase the exploration and engagement in the neighbourhood.

3. Event Production • To enhance existing events and/ or add more events

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Downtown Niagara Falls 2022-2026 Strategic Plan

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