REGINA — With 11th Avenue closing once again for the season, businesses can expect better communication on construction.
The 11th Avenue Revitalization Project is entering its final year, but its first three years have posed challenges for businesses trying to guide customers through downtown. This is an issue the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District has been working to address.
“We get all this feedback, and then we go to the city with this feedback. So, the last couple of months we have been meeting and talking with the city, especially the project managers for the 11th Avenue, and really stressing about how communication is really important,” said Sophie Farrell, manager of member engagement at RDBID.
In the past, Farrell explained the city would send RDBID a memo for construction planned for upwards of two weeks, which would then be sent to businesses.
“If the city is going to be changing on Friday, they're sending it to us on Friday. By the time someone has a chance to look at it and send it out to the businesses, we're just not hitting those deadlines,” she said.
From RDBID’s perspective, Farrell understands construction can change every five minutes, but it’s super important for businesses to learn quickly about these decisions.
“We're wanting to be more proactive and get that information out there faster.”
Along with quicker communication, RDBID will also post content on social media and run campaigns to show how people can access downtown.
Businesses leaving/closing
Farrell admitted “quite a few businesses” have made tough decisions over the last few years regarding construction.
“We have had quite a few who have unfortunately either closed or they have moved to other areas of the city.”
Farrell said these tough decisions come down to several factors.
“When people who are coming into downtown see the construction, they just assume downtown's closed. So they're losing that revenue from people coming into downtown. We still have a lot of offices that aren't filled with people working from home, losing that revenue as well.”
In the past year alone, Farrell said, five businesses have closed downtown, and another five have opened.
“We have businesses closed because you know they're moving out of downtown, we have people retiring, we have people who are going on to different adventures in their lives. So not every closure is a negative one, but there is always something that's coming in,” explained Farrel behind recent vacancy numbers.
Parking changes adding concerns
Beginning in April, the City of Regina has increased meter rates in the core downtown area to $2.50/hr plus a 25-cent charge from the PaybyPhone app. Additionally, coin-meter payment options have been removed, meaning residents can only pay for parking via PaybyPhone or by purchasing parking vouchers at city hall.
Farrell said they’ve received tons of phone calls from concerned businesses.
“Having this app is unfortunately becoming a barrier and is definitely a concern for another barrier to downtown.”
Farrell is personally worried about businesses based on comments she’s received.
“They said this could be the final straw for them to move out, but we haven't had anyone [move] so far.”
11th Avenue is expected to reopen earlier this year, in mid-October.
Once completed, Farrell is hopeful this can be the start of downtown’s revitalization.
