TIMMINS -- There are around 250 businesses located in downtown Timmins with over 2,000 employees.
With a new strategic plan to guide them, officials are eager for change and growth. They said it's a community-based plan and they hope it helps the community as a whole.
“I’m hoping people will see an enhancement with the downtown through our strategic directions," said Nadia Piccotti, the downtown's strategic plan and projects intern. "The pillars we’ll be implementing are: communication, environmental design, internal operations, and events and programming.”
Piccotti has been working on the plan since the fall. She's connected with members and thirty-six key stakeholders to find out what they would like to see happen in the area over the next few years.
The first noticeable change is the Downtown Timmins website and communication strategies are next.
“We used to hand deliver newsletters, now we’re emailing newsletters, we’re finding some firewalls are getting in the way. How are we going to make sure everybody’s getting the great messages from Downtown Timmins," said Cindy Campbell, executive director for Downtown Timmins.
And, she said there, they will undertake a safety audit.
“Safety continues to be a perception or a reality for our member businesses and for the people of the city of Timmins ... We‘re going to walk around with the Timmins Police Service. We’re going to walk around with our member businesses. We’re going to find out really what is the problem so that we can address it," said Campbell.
The downtown is also looking forward to becoming an area that's one of mixed income, not just a place to do business.
Officials have said when there are people living and working in the same place, it will boost the economy and play a role in helping to end homelessness.
