Don’t let the proposed Streetscape Plan for Port Elgin sit on a shelf gathering dust.
That was the message brought to town council recently by the President of the Port Elgin Business Improvement Area (BIA) Jeff Carver and the General Manager of the Saugeen Shores and District Chamber of Commerce Joanne Robbins.
Council approved the plan September 19th but any money for the project will come during budget discussions in the months ahead.
Carver says downtown Port Elgin is somewhat disgraceful in places and it has to be improved with better lighting, trees and public furniture such as benches.
He says the phased-in approach to Streetscape is reasonable but he would like to see that time frame, 3 to 5 years.
Council has talked about a 10-year phase-in plan.
Carver says right now, downtown property owners are excited about the plan but the excitement only lasts for so long without any tangible results.
That’s why he urges council to move on the project in a timely fashion.
Chamber General Manager Joanne Robbins says her group believes in the project and has donated five thousand dollars to the cause.
In addition, the Chamber itself is doing it’s own facade upgrading, along with the Business Enterprise Centre.
Robbins says she hopes by leading the way, it rolls on down the street to other businesses.
Mayor Mike Smith hopes to get some of the plan started after their budget discussions this year.
