In This Issue:
Duncan's First Food Trail
DDBIA Supports CWAV Society in Special Mother’s Day Promotion
WALK and SNACK YOUR WAY THROUGH DUNCAN’s FIRST FOOD TRAIL!
That’s right – this Saturday at our Earth Day Event you can delve into some great eats by grabbing your Food Trail Passport from the Information Tent on the corner of Station and Craig and travel around to 7 downtown eateries – grab a $5 ‘earth friendly’ food item – get a stamp and go on your way to the next. And thanks to the two green goddesses, Steph and Krystal at Plentfill, once you get 5 stamps in your passport you can enter to win a grand prize draw of Downtown Duncan Dollars, food gift certificates from participating eateries and a gift basket of food related reusable products valued at over $350!
Wowza. Thanks Plentifill! Go green!
Future events now in progress – it’s LOOKING BRIGHT!
· BIA Member Social May 25.
· Duncan Day and Panago Parade July 15.
· BIA Member Social July 27.
· Cowichan Valley Arts Council co-sponsored event downtown July 29.
· BIA Member Social October 12.
· Spooktacular kids daytime program and evening Zombie Crawl October 28.
· Christmas Kick-Off November 24.
CALLING ALL WELL-DRESSED WOMEN – LET’S SWAP!
That’s right. On April 22nd, the DDBIA and Cowichan Green Community is holding Duncan’s first, “A Day for Earth” celebration featuring a women’s clothing swap! No shoes, or skivvies – just clean, gently used women’s clothing! Bring up to 4 pieces on hangers to the tent on Station Street between 10 and 3:00 pm, April 22nd and swap, swap, swap it up! Get your new outfit for spring and do your bit to keep our planet green! And thanks to Tracy Arden of Redefined Clothing Boutique newly located on Station Street, our fabulous earth-loving Women's Clothing Tent Sponsor!
DRUM ROLL … AND THIS YEAR’S WINNERS FOR the Excellence and Innovation award and BEST NEW Business [or Organization] are:
· Brunch on 3rd (Excellence and Innovation)
· Neko Ramen (BEST NEW Business)
Eighty four (84) of our individual businesses voted for these two well-deserved member businesses! Thank you for participating and adding gravitas to these prestigious awards. Brunch on 3rd received 41% of the popular vote, while Neko Ramen received 45%. Each receipt received a beautiful framed print of Laurel Hiebert and $250 Downtown Dollars to share with their teams!
On the community stage the educational lineup is starting with a special opening by Quw'utsun Elder, Philomena Williams at 10:15. Learn about the benefits of incorporating native plants into your landscaping with Philomena Williams and nature interpreter, Genevieve Singleton at 10:30. Next at 11:00, discover the importance of rewilding your yard and garden with Hannah Auer from the Resiliency Project and Cowichan Green Community. And finally, at 11:30 don't miss the fascinating insights into the miracle of salmon from Tom Rutherford of the Cowichan Watershed Board. Celebrate Earth Day by learning how to better care for our planet!
“A Day for Earth”! Love your earth in downtown Duncan on April 22nd.
Join us to make downtown come alive! Our ask of all our businesses is to come out any play with our planet in mind. Please decorate your windows and get some sidewalk action going – green style! Our streets will be closed around Station Street Common Park – Craig from Kenneth to Station – and then Station from Canada to Craig. There will be not for profit vendors along Craig, an education and music stage set up in Station Street Common Park (thank you to Ironworks Café and Creperie for your generous sponsorship donation), a large Women’s Clothing Swap Tent on Station (a big THANKs to Redefined Clothing for their sponsorship of the Swap) and 10 smaller kids activity area tents also along Station. And for the first time – a FOOD TRAIL. Hungry participants will be given a super cool passport and can move through downtown sampling $5 earth friendly food options! And of course, once their passport is completed – they will be eligible for a prize pack with gift certificates, Downtown Duncan Dollars, and reusable products valued at over $350!
JUNE 25 Pride Day Window Decorating Contest
The DDIBA is co-sponsoring Pride Day in downtown Duncan this year on June 25th. There will be a parade. There will be singing. And dancing. And drag. And celebrations and speakers. Show your support by
· STAYING OPEN on Sunday and get your sidewalk selling for you!
· Decorating your window with Pride Day visuals and participate in the Window Contest! We’ll give you a QR code for your window so your shoppers can “vote” for the most creative, best, and celebratory Pride Window ever!
· Make a donation for a “We support Cowichan Valley Pride” decal for your business window or door. This donation will help the Cowichan Valley Pride festival continue to grow every year. SALES begin at the beginning of May!
Downtown Duncan BIA Supports CWAV Society in Special Mother’s Day Promotion
The Downtown Duncan Business Improvement Area is pleased to announce that they have put together a special promotion to support Cowichan Women Against Violence Society this Mother’s Day season. In honour of Mother’s Day, the DDBIA has released a special edition of Downtown Duncan Dollars, with 10% of each purchase going directly to support CWAV Society.
The special edition dollars can be used just like cash at all 24 participating Downtown Duncan businesses. To give the Mother’s Day gift of compassion, care, and community this year, visit the special DDBIA and CWAV Society booth at the Duncan Farmers Market anytime from 9am-2pm on Saturday April 29th, Saturday May 6th, or Saturday May 13th. Participating businesses:
Matisse Day Spa |
The Spoolyard |
The Steeped Leaf |
Careirro Salon |
VI Yoga School |
Wishes |
Ginger Room |
Mettra Pharmacy |
Plentifill |
Enchant |
Foxy Box |
Fallows Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine |
Ten Old Books |
Excellent Frameworks |
Ironworks Café and Creperie |
Area51 |
Aspire Wellspa |
Station Street Café |
Jenny's Bubbles and Dreams |
Kahuna Burger |
Aloha Bowls |
Imagine That! |
City of Duncan Official Community Plan Update Engagement
The City is providing additional opportunities in Spring 2023 to provide feedback on the proposed new Official Community Plan (OCP).
The OCP is a City planning document that guides Council decisions on things like housing affordability, development (height, design, parking, trees), climate change, supports for businesses, and bike lanes. The input you provide will be shared with Council to determine if changes are needed to the proposed new OCP before it is finalized.
To learn more about this project, view the proposed new OCP, and stay updated:
Visit the website bigconversations.duncan.ca/OCP
Contact the Planning Department | 250.746.6126 |OCP@duncan.ca
Façade Improvement Program
Need a repair to the outside of your building? New signage? We’ve got you covered! The Façade Improvement Program provides a grant of up to $5,000 for your new signage and outside improvements to your business. Email us and request the application or find it here on our website.
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The 2023 Christmas Window Theme is “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. [add in visual]
We know its way to early to hear about Christmas already – but for those of you planners who start planning your window theme now – here’s your chance. Imagine – six geese a layin’ not to mention those five golden rings!
OUR MEMBER NEWS
It’s MUSIC time again! And the Duncan Cowichan Festival Society on behalf of 39 Days of July has some opportunities for you to promote your business. Plans this year are to build it a bit bigger and better this requires us to reach out to our community even more to find the sponsorships and advertisers to help pay for this always ambitious endeavour. This year’s theme is ‘inclusion for all’. There are advertisements available for sale (various sizes) in the 20,000 copy program schedule, as well as sponsorships of an evening in the park, a day in the park and an evening in City Square. For more info and to sign up contact Longevity John, 250-597-1554 or longevityjohn@shaw.ca.
Murals Committee Call for Walls. Do you have a wall space in good condition, both structurally and aesthetically? We are looking for a wall that can attractively accommodate 1-2 panels about 4ft X 6ft. Our ask is to OK the panel installation for up to 5 years. The property owner must be comfortable with artwork that is connected to truth and reconciliation and most likely by a Coast Salish artist or, a Coast Salish artist with a partner from another cultural background. Contact us at: 250 748 3112 ext 206 or www.cowichanintercultural.org.
Community Futures Cowichan is launching their Savvy CEO Workshop May 4 to April 24, 2024 designed just for female entrepreneurs. The program is 12 months, is a $100 / month commitment, there are 10 spots, and CEOs meet once monthly to go through the curriculum. Contact 250.746.1004 for more information and to register.
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