Kincardine okays downtown street closure for next summer

Kincardine council has given the green light to the Queen Street Promenade downtown street closure for next summer.

In committee-of-the-whole Monday night (Sept. 21), tourism co-ordinator Kelly McDonald said that by all accounts the event was a great success, and urged council to approve the weekend street closure from June 25 to Sept. 5, 2021.

This year's closure was proposed back in mid-June as a way for the municipality to support downtown businesses, allowing them to spread out onto Queen Street so they could welcome customers while maintaining physical-distancing requirements, due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. A survey showed that almost 60 per cent of the downtown businesses that responded were at risk of closure by year-end.

At the Sept. 21 meeting, McDonald called the closed section of Queen Street, from Durham Market North to Lambton Street, the “Summer Access Area,” and noted that a review survey found that 72 per cent of the responding businesses were in that block, while 10 per cent were in the Durham block, six per cent were in the Broadway block, and 12 per cent were on the side streets.

Of the businesses in the Summer Access Area, 95 per cent were unopposed to continuing the street closure in 2021, while 94 per cent of Kincardine Business Improvement Area (BIA) businesses were unopposed.

McDonald said there was support for extending the closure to Durham Street. However, the initial access survey indicated that 97 per cent of the respondents in the Lambton block were in favour, while that support dipped severely from there, with about 50 per cent support in the few respondents within the Durham block, and 83 per cent opposed in the Broadway block.

Therefore, she said, the recommendation stands that the Summer Access Area stretch from north of Durham Market North to Lambton Street.

As to the impact on sales, McDonald said that of the respondents inside the access area, 73 per cent reported positive impacts on sales, while 18 per cent experienced no impact, nine per cent felt there was a somewhat negative impact, and zero felt there was a very negative impact.

She noted that some respondents who experienced no impact included businesses not open to the public on the weekends. Additionally, if the business indicated it experienced no impact to sales during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, compared to sales in 2019, this should be considered a success, said McDonald.

Of BIA respondents, 67 per cent reported a positive impact to sales, 20 per cent reported no impact, 11 per cent felt there was a somewhat negative impact, and two per cent felt there was a strong negative impact.

As for the impact on parking, of the BIA respondents, 63 per cent reported the access area made no impact to parking, 27 per cent indicated it made little impact, and 10 per cent felt it made a strong impact on parking.

With respect to customer access, 80 per cent reported no concern, 10 per cent showed little concern, six per cent had moderate concern, and four per cent had extreme concern.

As for accessibility, 73 per cent had no concern, 17 per cent had little concern, six per cent had moderate concern, and two per cent had extreme concern.

McDonald said with respect to tourism events, such as Cruise Night, the Kincardine Scottish Festival, and BIA events, in downtown Kincardine during the summer of 2021, accommodations will be needed to include these in the access area.

Concern was brought forward regarding the origin of pop-up vendors in the access area, said McDonald. “The concern was unfounded as the vast majority (60-70 per cent) of the vendors are regional vendors. In response to feedback, preference will be given to local artisan vendors.”

There was a concern regarding the spacing of vendors. McDonald said vendors are assigned a designated space. “All vendors are a minimum of two metres apart, set up on the roadway apart from the sidewalk abutting businesses, and are placed strategically in non-conflicting locations. All food vendors are required to be in compliance with the Grey Bruce Health Unit.”

McDonald said the proposed downtown street closure for 2021 would run from Friday at 5 p.m. to Sunday at 9 p.m., from June 25 to Sept. 5. It has been endorsed by the BIA and being presented now so it allows local business owners an opportunity to better prepare for the event next year.

Councillor Maureen Couture supported the proposal, noting that it was an overall success for the participating businesses, and most of the vendors were those who set up for the Monday Market in the Park which was cancelled this summer.

“If we were to allow the access area to go further north to Durham Street, we would have to look at access to parking again,” she said.

“We would stay in the Lambton block,” said McDonald, “because we don't have solid support for this further north.”

Councillor Doug Kennedy said he talked to a number of business owners over the summer and the majority had a positive impact. However, he said he is worried about seniors being able to park downtown Saturday nights between 6-7 p.m., if the pipe band parades return.

Councillor Dave Cuyler questioned the survey results and said a third-party review of this report is required.

Councillor Laura Haight objected to this. “So, are you suggesting that the people (in charge of the survey) are misinterpreting the data?”

“Yes,” said Cuyler.

“You're wrong,” said Haight.

“I'm just being honest,” said Cuyler, “and asking the question.”

Deputy mayor Marie Wilson, who was chairing the meeting in the absence of the mayor, said that issue would have to be taken up with the BIA and the Kincardine and District Chamber of Commerce, as well as the municipal tourism department, which worked together on the survey.

ALLOWING POP-UP VENDORS IN DOWNTOWN KINCARDINE

Councillor Bill Stewart said that when council approved the street closure, he did not recall there being anything discussed about allowing pop-up vendors on Queen Street.

“They were similar to the vendors at the Monday Market,” he said, “but they're not paying business tax like the businesses in the downtown. Why were they allowed to set up there?”

McDonald said they were allowed if the health unit permitted them.

“We set a cap of 20, and we worked with public health and the vendors on this,” she said. “We wanted to animate the street and make it visually interesting – what's new and going on in the downtown.”

“I'm not sure if I support that,” said Stewart. “So, you surveyed the businesses; how does the public feel about it? And do we have to approve this tonight?”

“We can definitely add a public survey to our list of things to do,” said McDonald.

Haight asked if there were some businesses in the Durham block that could be included, perhaps once a month, throughout the summer street closure.

“We could consider that for next year,” said McDonald.

In response to a question about the pop-up vendors, McDonald said there was no fee for their inclusion this year. However, that will also be looked at for next year.

“How confident are you in the validity of your data?” asked Haight.

“100 per cent,” said McDonald.

Councillor Randy Roppel said it's very important to consider how the public felt about the downtown street closure.

“The pop-up vendors should have to obtain a hawkers and peddlers licence, if we still have that in the municipality,” he said. “it's only fair. They're taking business away from the people who pay business tax. It wasn't all peaches and cream with this event. I've received calls from the public with concerns about this. We need to address them before we proceed.”

Wilson said there were some glitches since the event was hastily put together this summer. “I talked to some residents who enjoyed the whole downtown experience and said the pop-up vendors added to that. I support this wholeheartedly.”

The recommendation was to close Queen Street, from north of Durham Market North to Lambton Street, from Friday at 5 p.m. to Sunday at 9 p.m., beginning June 25 weekly through Sept. 5, 2021.

Also, examination of the start date be reconsidered should weather permit; larger events be permitted, based on COVID-19 restrictions from the province; the addition of Mondays to include Market in the Park, subject to the agreement of the BIA and chamber, and the Municipality of Kincardine, with the chief administrative officer (CAO) delegated the authority to agree; the parking and traffic bylaw be amended to include the addition of four accessible parking spaces to the municipal lots or side streets during the closure; all appropriate items under administration be sent to the Accessibility Advisory Committee for review; the road closure be administered by staff through guiding documents; the CAO be given authority to make any changes needed, provided it is within the guideline set out above.

And, that council approve this recommendation, in principle; and the municipal COVID-19 working group conduct a survey to determine public satisfaction of the downtown street closure.

Committee-of-the-whole approved the recommendation, in principle, with Wilson, Kennedy, Roppel, Couture, Haight and councillor Gerry Glover in favour, while Cuyler was against, and Stewart deferred.

That was later endorsed by council.

Back in August, Rachel Mackay, owner of First Impressions Salon and Spa, located in the Summer Access Area, told council that the closure was bad for her business.

While she understood the concept of closing the street to help local businesses during the pandemic, that wasn't the case. The pop-up vendors were often in direct competition with downtown merchants, and many of her customers refused to come to the salon on Saturdays which up until then, had been her busiest day.

She said her business was negatively impacted, as were two others, including another hair salon in the downtown core.

“If this runs next year, I would have to move out of the downtown so I can continue to run a viable business,” she said. “I have been in the downtown since 1997, but I believe the street closure has been detrimental to my business and to many others.”