THIS ISSUE IS RESOLVED! On Thursday, April 10th the DOMB voted to use the traditional five blocks for the sidewalk sale! Thanks to everyone who signed and comes to sign in the future without this knowledge. Your interest and passion are very important.
--Michael Simonds
Original text:
On April 9th, 2014, the Downtown Orillia Management Board (DOMB) voted to confine the first sidewalk sale of the year to a single block between Peter and Matchedash St. for reasons unknown to the general public, outside of a statement by DOMB member Pete Bowen to the Packet and Times stating, "The idea was when you do five blocks in the downtown, it’s difficult to fill up the five blocks and make them feel full and exciting."
Anyone who has lived in Orillia for any length of time is familiar with this tradition. It's something you can set your watch to, and it's always a blast. The sidewalk sale provides store owners an opportunity to show their wares beyond the glass doors of their businesses, and creates a temporarily thriving environment in our downtown, which severely needs the business with West Ridge continuing to develop big box stores.
The vote has not yet been finalized. It will be on Wednesday, April 16th, however. In the meantime, it's important for the citizens to have a voice in this matter -- to show the board that the expansive, 5-block version of the sidewalk sale is important to us. This petition is simply a friendly reminder, not an attack, and should not be used as such. It will be presented to the board members by email in hopes of changing their minds prior to the vote.
It's your chance to have a voice. Please sign today.
Updates
April 11, 2014
I have been walking past our storefronts all afternoon and the frustration from local shop owners is palpable. We are preparing to present our case to the board because our downtown deserves to be more than just a single block of activity.
April 11, 2014
Seeing this kind of energy for our downtown streets is truly overwhelming. It brings me back to the vibrant sidewalk sales I remember from my own childhood and proves that our community history still matters to all of you.
3 Comments
RIDICULOUS idea. Nobody goes downtown to see one single block of stuff. Leave our tradition alone.
The farmers' market is messed up. Now they want to do the same to the sidewalk sale.
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THIS ISSUE IS RESOLVED! On Thursday, April 10th the DOMB voted to use the traditional five blocks for the sidewalk sale! Thanks to everyone who signed and comes to sign in the future without this knowledge. Your interest and passion are very important.
--Michael Simonds
Original text:
On April 9th, 2014, the Downtown Orillia Management Board (DOMB) voted to confine the first sidewalk sale of the year to a single block between Peter and Matchedash St. for reasons unknown to the general public, outside of a statement by DOMB member Pete Bowen to the Packet and Times stating, "The idea was when you do five blocks in the downtown, it’s difficult to fill up the five blocks and make them feel full and exciting."
Anyone who has lived in Orillia for any length of time is familiar with this tradition. It's something you can set your watch to, and it's always a blast. The sidewalk sale provides store owners an opportunity to show their wares beyond the glass doors of their businesses, and creates a temporarily thriving environment in our downtown, which severely needs the business with West Ridge continuing to develop big box stores.
The vote has not yet been finalized. It will be on Wednesday, April 16th, however. In the meantime, it's important for the citizens to have a voice in this matter -- to show the board that the expansive, 5-block version of the sidewalk sale is important to us. This petition is simply a friendly reminder, not an attack, and should not be used as such. It will be presented to the board members by email in hopes of changing their minds prior to the vote.
It's your chance to have a voice. Please sign today.
Updates
April 11, 2014
I have been walking past our storefronts all afternoon and the frustration from local shop owners is palpable. We are preparing to present our case to the board because our downtown deserves to be more than just a single block of activity.
April 11, 2014
Seeing this kind of energy for our downtown streets is truly overwhelming. It brings me back to the vibrant sidewalk sales I remember from my own childhood and proves that our community history still matters to all of you.
3 Comments
Five blocks is the whole point. Why would they want to shrink it and make it look empty? Keep it the way it has always been.
RIDICULOUS idea. Nobody goes downtown to see one single block of stuff. Leave our tradition alone.
The farmers' market is messed up. Now they want to do the same to the sidewalk sale.
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Five blocks is the whole point. Why would they want to shrink it and make it look empty? Keep it the way it has always been.