Meaford Market Square (Photo from Google Maps)
Meaford is not bringing back the local business improvement area (BIA) organization at this time.
Council approved having staff take not further action towards reinstating the BIA during a meeting on Monday.
Meaford’s BIA was dissolved in 2022 and was replaced with a Main Street organization, Main Street Meaford. Its goal was to advance local culture, while preserving the history of the community and pursue economic opportunities for downtown Meaford.
The organization, however, was deemed unsuccessful in generating the community revitalization and improvement of the downtown area as anticipated.
As part of revival discussions, the new BIA could have included revised boundaries.
Meaford began the process of reviving the BIA over the summer.
A community input session was held in September, which included poll-style questions to attendees.
Those who took part identified beautification of the downtown as a priority, but many said they were not interested in being involved in the BIA or its planning.
Small and Medium Business Liaison Jessica Kenyon says there has not been sufficient interest and support from the community to bring back the BIA, and the lack of response raises concerns about the viability and sustainability of reinstating the organization.
During another public meeting last month on possibly bringing back the BIA, two responses were received.
One downtown business owner expressed support for reinstating the BIA, while a downtown property owner who had engaged with several other downtown business and property owners opposed the BIA at this time as the Meaford Chamber of Commerce already provides a similar function.
Council initially planned to revive the BIA by next spring.