Wellington North has applied for some Rural Economic Development, or RED funding, to help put in place some new local initiatives.
Robyn Mulder, Economic Development Officer, says they've applied for just under $95,000, and they're hoping to get roughly 50 percent of that with the township covering the rest for the projects. One of those is more local downtown wifi, which they installed in Mount Forest last year and now they're looking to add it to Arthur.
"Basically to, one, attract tourists, and then use apps that they can go on through wifi in the downtowns. That will help them look for restaurants, search for certain shopping ideas and keep them engaged in the experience of downtown," Mulder said.
The township is also potentially looking into security solutions in the downtowns of Mount Forest and Arthur. Mulder notes some businesses do have security cameras, and one solution might involve working with the BIA to extend coverage to others.
"So they would put in some money, as well as the town, because if the town just puts security cameras in the downtown, then it falls back on the town for maintenance and all of that. Also, there are some businesses who already have it, so we will look into some other potential ideas with the BIA," added Mulder.
Also, the township may be working with Your Town Rising on further improvements in the downtowns of Arthur and Mount Forest.
"They are a team of two people and they would spend a day in both Arthur and Mount Forest's downtowns, and they would look at how to maximize our marketing, our social media. They help when a town and a downtown are on a tight budget, just with cost effective ideas to help better the downtown area," Mulder noted.
Further details on the RED Grant application by Wellington North are as follows:
Application included a number initiatives in support of our Economic Development and specifically our Downtown Revitalization programs.
Your Town Rising: Work with Your Town Rising https://www.yourtownrising.com/ this fall to glean insights and strategies as well as leverage their expertise and resources for downtown revitalization.
Integration of Best Practices: Incorporate the principles of Roger Brooks outlined in his "20 Ingredients of a Successful Downtown" to guide revitalization strategies; emphasizing alignment with his renowned methodology.
Collaboration with Doug Griffiths: Propose a collaborative session with Doug Griffiths, author of "13 Ways to Kill Your Community," to facilitate a joint meeting among stakeholders from Minto, Mapleton, and Wellington North.
Business Guide Development: Highlight ongoing collaboration with local Chambers of Commerce to develop a comprehensive business guide. Underscoring the guide's role in facilitating marketing and promotional activities to enhance downtown visibility and attract investment.
Downtown BR+E Initiative: Conduct a comprehensive BR+E assessment targeting downtown businesses in Arthur and Mount Forest. Engage with a representative sample of businesses to identify challenges, opportunities, and strategic priorities for retention and expansion.
Downtown wifi: In 2023 we were able to install Downtown wifi in Mount Forest and with the support of this grant hope to be able to implement in Arthur
Security Solutions: Address downtown business security concerns, such as break-ins, etc.