Gastown District Report, 2023-2024

DEAR NEIGHBOUR,

Following the 2023-2024 Annual General Meeting, we take a look back at all of the work the Gastown Business Improvement Society (GBIS) has completed throughout the past year to promote and care for our small, but mighty, neighbourhood This is only the start, as we continue to focus our efforts and prioritize based on the needs of our members

This report serves a few purposes: to provide an overview of the collective efforts put forth by the GBIS on your behalf, to give you insight into all that we have accomplished together, and to use as a launching pad for all that we want to accomplish in future years.

In evaluating our past year accomplishments, this should give us all confidence in our ability to face whatever comes our way this upcoming year, and in future years.

Additionally, in 2023 we released a new Strategic Plan, based on member feedback, and as a part of our new five (5) year mandate, which started in April, 2024. This will take us into our 40-year anniversary as a BIA

It is with great privilege that we get to serve this community We continue to be inspired by the passion and creative souls that call Gastown home

Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to making Gastown shine We look forward to working with all of you in 2024, 2025, and beyond as we continue to attend to, and showcase, the neighbourhood that started it all Gastown

All the best,

Walley Wargolet, Executive Director & Elise Yurkowski, Director of Marketing

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Subha Nair President

Michelle’s Import Plus

Jordan Stewart Secretary Guilt & Company

Dan Dibadj Treasurer Vancouver Rug Import Ltd.

Peter Campion Westback Corp

Catherine Chew Global Relay

Eddie Emerman The Blarney Stone/Hip Space

Troy Cruickshank Rowan Sky

Robert Fung The Salient Group

Svetlana Fouks 332 Water Street/Coastal Peoples Gallery

Peeroj Thakre Ph5 architecture Inc.

Pamela Saunders Microsoft Vancouver

Wingar Tsang Allied Properties Real Estate Investment Trust

Peter Plett Colonial Enterprises Ltd.

Raj Dhatt Herschel Supply Co

Kathy Tuulos Low Tide Properties

Al Jessa LOCAL Public Eatery Gastown

Alex Surnov Kozak Ukrainian Restaurant

SAFETY & SANITATION

3340 ON DECK FOR 2024- 2025

Safety and security incidents responded to by the Gastown Patrol Team

25K

Dollars raised from the filming industry to help launch the Vandalism Relief Grant

7

Days a week of mirco-cleaning added with Mission Possible (supplementing COV services)

10.5M

Dollars secured to help fund increased crime & vandalism through the Securing Small Business Rebate Program based on advocacy work with BIABC

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

Gastown Patrol Team hours 9am - 7pm Mon - Sat & 11am - 7pm on Sun with extended summer and holiday hours

Encampment Management Plan in partnership with Paladin, VPD, and the City of Vancouver

New CPC Office

Post election public safety advocacy work

More lighting

Advocating for aditional cleaning resources from COV

Working with HXBIA and Chinatown BIA on a Carrall Street project to enhance the public experience in this gateway that links our three neighbourhoods

2

Months of increased weekly power washing and feces cleanup during the Pilot

100+

Volunteers in attendance at the Gastown Clean-Up Party (April, 2024)

Trespass Prevention Program in partnership with VPD

Graffiti Abatement Program

Carrall St lighting project

IN THE PUBLIC REALM

Following the GBIS’ advocacy work and commitment from City Council to invest $10 5 million in Gastown this current Capital Plan, the City of Vancouver (COV) continued its infrastructure maintenance/upgrades in the neighbourhood This included sidewalk repairs, bollard and globe street light repainting, crosswalk repainting, and the large Water St repair project in front of Maple Tree Square from March - June 2024.

The Water St repair work strongly impacted traffic circulation and business sales in Gastown Throughout the construction period (and beyond), the GBIS was committed to ensuring its members were kept up-to-date with all necessary information to navigate their daily operations and business during this time

This included a series of digital resources, including shareable maps, a dedicated website landing page, and progress reports emailed to members weekly.

Parts of Water Street continued to be closed from June 28 - Sept 5, 2024 for the COV’s Summer Pilot project The Pilot tested car-free and carlight options on Water St and included the installation of additional street furniture, planters, community boards, and extended patios and merchandising spaces Various activations led by the GBIS and COV took place throughout the summer. Lessons from the Pilot will be used to guide recommendations presented in the Gastown Public Spaces Plan There is a lot to be learned

Bricks replaced on Water Street March - June, 2024

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

DAILYHIVE COM

Gastownreopenstocartrafficwithsomenewadditions

Tomarkthereopening theGastownBusinessImprovementSociety(GBIS)iscelebrating withsomenewandcolourfuladditionstomaketheneighbourhoodmorewelcoming

258

Positive news stories (74% of Gastown press stories)

89K

Social impressions from the Gastown Magazine influencer campaign

300K

Impression from Do604 cocktail and holiday campaign

2M

People reached through Vancouver Cocktail Week sponsorship presented by the Alchemist Magazine

20 Transit Shelter Ads during the holidays in partnership with COV

7

15

Concierge in attendance at spring concierge tours

140

255K

Impressions from Curiocity Vancouver spring and summer campaigns

3

VANCOUVERISAWESOMECOM

Youcanseetheworld’sbestcompeteatthisfreecyclingclassicin Vancouver Canada’soldestcyclingcriterium,TheGastownGrandPrixwilltakeplaceJuly10th

Press conferences hosted in Gastown with the Mayor and City Councillors for the Summer Pilot.

13 Bus ads during the holidays in partnership with TransLink Transit station ads during the holidays in partnership with TransLink Cruise Ship passengers welcomed with business discounts in partnership with Ceres Terminals Canada 1.32M

Visitors per day at the Visitor Booth from JuneSept in partnership with Destination Vancouver and West Coast Sightseeing

4K

Directory maps handed out to tourist destinations

GASTOWN MAGAZINE

In October 2023, we launched the first-ever Gastown Magazine, a lifestyle and culture print publication focussed obsessively on the city’s original neighbourhood The eight page tabloid-style magazine covers the fashion, design, pop culture, and craftspeople that drive Gastown, featuring more than 50 businesses per issue 2,000 copies are printed bi-annually and available at hotels, cafes, and retailers throughout the neighbourhood

As a part of the launch of Gastown Magazine, we set up a pop-up NYC-style newsstand outside of Water Front Station We handed out over 500 copies, along with free coffee from Timbertrain Roasters and donuts from the newly opened Lee’s Donuts

6 feature stories per issue:

2

50 copies printed times per year fall / spring business objects + outfits featured

EVENTS

2023/24 was another busy year for events in Gastown, including our first ever laneway networking event, as well as the return of the Grand Prix and Gastown Thursday Nights (GTN)