In This Issue:
The DDBIA is hiring a Canada Summer JOBS position!
Join in the conversation about changes to Station Street Common
Duncan Days EXPANDS onto STATION STREET with LOTS OF MOTORCYCLES
Under 30 and need a job? The DDBIA is hiring a Canada Summer JOBS position!
In this role as Membership Engagement Worker the successful applicant will engage with the Downtown Duncan Business Improvement Area Society’s membership to ensure our landlords and downtown businesses are fully aware of all DDBIA programs and events, to increase engagement of all our offerings and to better understand the DDBIA’s businesses unique challenges like their safety and security concerns. This is a physically active role and one in which the Membership Engagement Worker will engage frequently with our membership in their stores, at events, and in scheduled meetings. See the full job posting here www.downtownduncan.ca/careers. To apply, applicants should send a resume and a cover letter explaining why they will excel working in this position to devine@downtownduncan.ca.
Future events now in progress – it’s LOOKING BRIGHT!
· Cowichan Pride Parade and Festivities June 25.
· Duncan Days Sidewalk Sale July 14.
· Duncan Day and the Grande Parade July 15.
· BIA Member Social July 27.
· Cowichan Valley Arts Council Outdoor Art Market downtown July 29.
· BIA Member Social October 12.
· Spooktacular kids daytime program and evening Zombie Crawl October 28.
· Christmas Kick-Off November 24.
· The 2023 Christmas Window Theme is “The Twelve Days of Christmas”.
March with the DDBIA this Pride Day!
That’s right. Staff from the DDBIA will be holding our DDBIA banner high at this year’s Pride parade starting at the VIU parking lot at 10:30 am, this Sunday. Come and support our 2SLGBTQIA+ community and show your pride, love and support for our community! Festivities in City Square start at noon.
Join in the conversation about changes to Station Street Common
As you likely have heard, the Government of B.C. announced a grant through the Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP) for $1,000,000 for the City of Duncan’s Station Street Placemaking Project, an initiative to revitalize our beloved Station Street Common (corner of Station and Craig). The DDBIA is holding information sessions on June 27th (8:00 to 9:30 am), June 28th (noon to 1:30 pm) and June 29th (5:00 to 6:30 pm) at the Duncan United Church (Ingram Street). We will provide images from the original design concepts and look forward to our conversations with you. Refreshments will be served. If you wish to look now please visit bigconversations.duncan.ca/stationstreet. Also look out for a survey opportunity later in the week!
Static Billboard Opportunity
The DDBIA offers exclusive pricing to our members for billboard advertising on the Island highway located northbound just before Allenby Road. There are two spots available in our August 01 static billboard which will remain up in place for three months (October 31st). The billboard is shared between four downtown Duncan businesses and is available at a price of $700 per section. If you are interested in participating in the August 01 billboard, please let us know as soon as possible. The spots are sold on a first come, first served basis.
The annual Duncan Days Panago Parade is happening on Saturday July 15 2023.
Marshalling begins at 8:00 am at the Cowichan Community Centre and the parade starts at 10 am. To become involved in the parade, please contact Jeff Leggat at jleggat42@hotmail.com. He will provide an entry package with all necessary information, rules, regulations and fees. The parade entry deadline is June 30th.
Last call for Pride Window Decorating Contest!
If you are planning to compete this year, please reply to this email to let the Pride Committee know. Its not too late to get your decorating on! Voting ends Saturday, the 24th! Want to vote? Do it here: https://www.facebook.com/cowichanpridesociety.
Participating stores include:
· Bucky’s Sport Shop
· Ginger Room
· Eclectic Avenue Vintage Boutique
· The Garment District
· Wolf Willow Collective
· Wishes
· Ironsworks Café and Creperie
· Station Street Midwives
· Redefined Clothing Boutique
· Station Street Tattoo Company
· Cowitan
· PlentiFILL
· Fabrications
· Neko Ramen
· Volume One
· EJ Hughes Gallery
By the way, the window decorating contest prize has been announced and it’s an awesome one: The winning window team will receive a tour for four of the Steelhead Distillery! Experience what it’s like mashing, distilling, proofing and (most importantly) tasting the final product! The winner will be announced on Sunday from the City Square Stage!
Duncan Days EXPANDS onto STATION STREET with LOTS OF MOTORCYCLES
Hello all – not only has Duncan Day moved to Duncan DAYS – we are EXPANDING ONTO STATION STREET – from Government to Canada Avenue for Saturday July 15th! That means please feel free to move your sidewalk sale onto the surface of Station Street (please email Gill Polard to let her know so we can update our layout map – polard@downtownduncan.ca!
The reason for the expansion is through the recruitment efforts of Dina at Ironworks Cafe and Creperie , we have been able to attract the kid-focused fundraising juggernaut – “Helmet Head Canada” to Duncan Days (a charity that supports Island hospitals)! That’s right – after the Grand Parade runs its amazing course through Duncan, over 100 beautiful custom, sport, and cruiser motorcycles (many with riders donning crazy kid-friendly helmet) will make an entrance onto Station Street after 11:00 am and park their bikes and set up for the remainder of the day (until 3:00 pm). There will be a 50/50 raffle, a toy drive and of course four great prizes for Best in Show, Best Custom, Best Cruiser and Best Sport. Not only that – Longevity John from the Duncan Showroom (of 39 Days of July fame) has offered up one of his street-front pianos for an artistic makeover! Stay tuned for more details as they evolve! Downtown Duncan will be action central with lots of opportunity for you to open your doors wide and enjoy the throngs!
Duncan Farmers Market Expansion and You
The DDBIA wishes to thank all our members for your ongoing support and commitment to investing your livelihoods in our unique and thriving downtown. As you may know, the DDBIA has a unique arrangement with the City of Duncan to manage City Square and the Duncan Farmers Market. We are beta testing the DFM’s expansion onto Kenneth Street up until September 9th (as detailed in previous “On the Horizon” communiques). There are no plans to expand beyond that small expanse on Kenneth. Our ask of you is to have patience with this change – with the DDBIA and the DFM. Our plans are to adjust signage locations, add in more signage to streamline traffic flow through the one-way parking lot system at the Elks and add a “parking attendant” to the corner of Kenneth and Jubilee to talk verbally to drivers and hand out a sheet of “parking options” to them while communicating to them that Kenneth Street and all downtown Duncan is open for business.
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.
Are you up to date?
Do we have your most up to date information in our online directory? Check here and let us know what needs changing!
Comments