Downtown Action Advisory Committee

Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 4:00 P.m. - 5:30 P.m.

Schmalz Room - Second Floor City Hall

City of Kitchener

200 King Street W, Kitchener, ON N2G 4G7

Present:

• J. Birnstihl, Member
• G. Eveleigh, Member
• J. Leslie, Member
• W. Turman, Chair
• B. Van Dam, Vice Chair
• L. Jutzi, Member
• Councillor D. Chapman, Member
• Councillor S. Stretch, Member

Staff:

• T. Mistry, Committee Administrator
• A. Hertzog, Staff

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1.

Commencement

The meeting commenced at 4:02 p.m.

The meeting began with a Land Acknowledgement given by the Chair.

1.1

Transit/Parking Pass or Childcare Reimbursement

Two members received parking passes.

2.

Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof

None.

3.

Discussion Items

An addition to the agenda was requested: Councillor D. Chapman will be bringing forward a motion on Monday, September 30, in support of the CTS site. (Motion is copied below.) Is DAC interested in endorsing the motion?

Committee discussed the motion, the integral work of the Safe Consumption Site to save lives in what is a humanitarian crisis, and opportunities for the Committee to support the motion. It was suggested that the Committee might additionally write a paragraph in the name of DAC and distribute to Council in advance of the meeting. 

S. Stretch put forward a motion for DAC to endorse Councillor Chapman's motion regarding Safe Consumption Sites.

G. Eveleigh seconded.

DAC's motion: The Downtown Advisory Committee endorses the motion below regarding Safe Consumption Sites.

DAC's motion unanimously passed.

 

Additionally, a letter will be composed and approved by the Committee members, then circulated to Council in advance of Monday's meeting.

 

Councillor Chapman's Motion:

WHEREAS one person dies every 2.5 hours from the toxic drug supply in Ontario; and,

WHEREAS Safe Consumption Sites, also known as Consumption and Treatment Sites, have been instrumental in preventing thousands of drug overdose deaths; and,

WHEREAS crime statistics from the Waterloo Regional Police Services indicate that the Kitchener Consumption and Treatment Site has not been linked to an increase in crime in its vicinity; and,

WHEREAS closing Consumption and Treatment Sites will lead to increased drug use in public spaces; and,

WHEREAS the closure of these sites would place additional strain on emergency services and the healthcare system; and,

WHEREAS Consumption and Treatment Sites offer access to other health and medical services, aligning with the objectives of the HART hub planned by the Ontario Government; and,

WHEREAS healthcare should emphasize prevention as well as treatment;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Kitchener Council urges the Ontario government to continue funding all currently operating Consumption and Treatment Sites beyond the proposed termination date in March 2025;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Ontario government is encouraged to maintain funding for the proposed HART hubs;

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Ontario Government is encouraged to not take steps that would prohibit the establishment of temporary Urgent Public Health Needs Sites (UPHNS);

THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT this resolution be forwarded to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Finance, the Health Minister and to municipalities that currently have an operating Consumption and Treatment Site/Safe Consumption Site. 

3.1

Downtown Manager Introduction & Discussion of Upcoming Plans

Introduction of new Downtown Manager, A. Hertzog, who first joined the City of Kitchener as a Main Street Ambassador supporting the King East neighbourhood, and later helped open the SDG Idea Factory. Two months into her new role, two main projects are emerging, retail attraction/retention and vibrancy in the Core.

Quick roundtable introductions of Committee members.

Would like to know what this Committee thinks the City could be doing to support retail attraction/retention.

Discussion included the following:

• Square Peg:
  • Feedback from vendors has been very positive.
  • What we are still lacking is the step between an affordable one month pop-up and a permanent brick-and-mortar.
  • Question if we could put participating businesses through a process at the Small Business Centre to understand the financial commitment required, prepare a business plan, so that a business operating in Sq. Peg might be ready to act on a more permanent opportunity.
  • Square Peg Micro Market is a way to test a shared space model.
• Example in Hong Kong - a 5-story municipal building was handed over to artists/entrepreneurs, at first for free rent, eventually became a hub and tourism draw and grew into a self-sustaining model.
  • What about the old Legion and the Charles Street terminal. Is there an opportunity for the City to temporarily activate before it is redeveloped?
• What types of stores do you think we need Downtown?
  • Full service grocery store (other members chimed in that there are lots of grocery options in the Core, and asked if there would be demand for a large retailer)
  • Boutique clothing stores
  • I wish we could get a brand that people know
  • Hardware store, pet supply store
  • An idea for businesses - It's unclear which ones are friendly to dogs. Could the City support a campaign where businesses could be provided a sticker if they want to self-identify as dog-friendly? (has seen this in other cities)
• Not sure of the scope of this strategy and how it ties to the Downtown Vision and Principles. Is there a Core Area Masterplan that is being scoped in that puts tangible actionable items to the Principles?
• Can we utilize some of the EDIF funding towards these initiatives?

3.2

Impressions of Summer & What's New in DTK

Committee reflected on their observations and experiences this past summer in DTK:

• The Asian Night Market
  • Really cool use of space at the Kitchener Market.
  • It was crowded because of the rain plan.
  • Felt very authentic with the humidity and stinky tofu smell.
  • Very positive feedback from the vendors. Approximately 10,000 people came.
  • Great decor and photo opportunities.
  • Parking was the biggest challenge with the rain location. Closed some of the lots for vendor parking, so guest parking was limited. People come regardless but parking was a little stressful. Lessons learned for next year.
• Caribana was fun.
• Sunset Sessions:
  • 12 Fridays
  • Always a good turnout, their best year so far. It's become a staple.
  • It's made people more aware of Vogelsang Green and we're seeing it better utilized at other times.
• Coming up: Día de Muertos (street food in Vogelsang Green, activations in Goudies Lane, Speaker's Corner, and the Market.)
• Endless Summer:
  • Attendance seemed negatively impacted by the cold weather, suggested that not people knew about it, perhaps not great timing to do as the same time as frosh weekend.
• There were some new community events - Momma's Cookout was great
• Canada Day was fun but felt cramped.
  • Mentioned that they used to be able to stand on the balcony. Explained that Special Events has been trying out using the balcony as a VIP area.
  • What if we got rid of fireworks and did a drone show instead? More environmentally friendly.

Discussion shifted to what is new in DTK:

• New businesses:
  • New cafe next to Golden Hearth has good coffee.
  • East End Annie's is opening soon.
  • The new B&T location and all the new businesses opening in that block.
  • Sad that Clothing Exchange and Score Pizza closed.
  • Fresh Ground has reopened.
  • Excited about Four All Ice Cream, and there is a rotating art space inside.
  • The new Grand Trunk location is going well.
  • The Walper Mercantile
  • The Duke Food Block is back! Desi Chaat and Spice & Scoop have opened.
  • Bombay Hot Pot
  • An Indian restaurant is opening in the Rich Uncle spot.

Mentioned the Block Party at Gaukel Block the first Saturday in October, to launch engagement for the 2051 plan.

3.3

DAC Areas of Interest

Ran out of time to discuss the remaining meetings because of additional agenda item.

4.

Information Items

4.1

Advisory Committee Applications

Shared information about the application process and updated timelines for the current Advisory Committees intake. 

5.

Delegations

Delegations was shifted to the end of the meeting, because of the Delegate's availability.

5.1

Marinus de Groot

M. de Groot delegated to DAC:

• Shared a brief history of his work on Arts, Culture and Heritage in Kitchener, beginning with attending "Visions 93" 30 years ago. Working on the Downtown Kitchener Vision and Principles felt like coming full circle.
• Interested in the constellation of neighbourhoods that circle the City's Civic and Commercial Centre.
• The "kilometre of culture" - the Culture Plan at the time recommended starting at the centre (King/Queen) and drawing a kilometre circle around that point. Strengthen the assets in that zone and fill in the gaps. Start with what's there and build on it.
• Last Fall launched the Sandhills Circle. They have been meeting every Tuesday in various locations - to focus on the neighbourhoods and arts/culture/heritage. Intention to go beyond ideas and have a "do tank" instead of a think tank. What are practical things that we can do? Between 6-15 people attend.
• Interviewed in an article about the state of the arts and was overwhelmed by the response.
• Interconnection between the neighbourhoods, arts/culture/heritage
• Talks about the downtown developments as "vertical neighbourhoods"
• If anyone in the Committee is also interested in these things, please email Martin.

6.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned shortly after 5:30pm.