Downtown’s 2021 Weekends in the heart of the City project selected in first round of My Main Street Community Activator program
Last summer, the St. Catharines Downtown Association (SCDA) in partnership with the City of St. Catharines were pleased to welcome the community to step back into the heart of the city and back into our main streets with the 2021 Open Streets project.
From June through October, St. Paul and James Street were closed on weekends and opened to pedestrian traffic, offering a space that community partners & businesses filled with a series of diverse markets, family-friendly events, art installations & live performances. The open streets allowed for expanded patio dining and an increase in traffic to our retail shops and other businesses.
A request by the SCDA to continue pedestrianized roads in 2022 was approved by City Council in November and planning is currently underway. If you or your organization are interested in being involved please email us at scda@rachelb75.sg-host.com
“Our main streets play an important role in the survival of our community. We are grateful to the Federal Economic Development Agency for understanding the importance of these initiatives and providing supports such as the My Main Street Community Activator Program to help allow these projects to happen.” – Rachel Braithwaite, Executive Director of the St. Catharines Downtown Association
“When the streets were closed to cars and open only to pedestrians and cyclists we noticed a huge and positive shift with business and response from our guests. Our guests or passer bys that we spoke to all had nothing to say but positive things. We were able to activate the street by bringing artists, and crafters in for markets on the streets, we were able tocollaborate with the artist and performance community to hold shows and activities for people to enjoy.– Adam Hynam-Smith, Dispatch
Projects like these are made possible with support from the My Main Street Community Activator Program, which supports local community placemaking projects, including events, activities, enhancements, and policy and capacity building designed to draw visitors and increase local vibrancy in southern Ontario. My Main Street is funded by the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario and focuses on creating and maintaining vibrant and inclusive local main streets while providing residents, new entrepreneurs and existing businesses with economic opportunities in our main street communities. The My Main Street Community Activator program is being delivered by the Canadian Urban Institute.
For more information about the Main Street Activator program, please visit www.mymainstreet.ca.
–
My Main Street is a $23.25-million investment by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario to support the recovery and revitalization of main streets and local businesses in southern Ontario. The Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) and the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) have partnered to deliver My Main Street through two program streams. Learn more at www.mymainstreet.ca.
