Collingwood’s BIA is calling attention to garbage in the downtown core, and asking for a new garbage day.
Penny Skelton, chairperson of the Collingwood Downtown BIA, approached the Development and Operation Services Standing Committee at its meeting May 23 with a presentation on three issues the downtown is asking for help in dealing with: garbage, banners and wooden windows.
Garbage
Currently, garbage day in Collingwood is Monday, but there are some businesses downtown that do not open for weekends, so they put their garbage at the curb at close of business day Friday.
Skelton told the committee the garbage gets strewn about by wildlife and wind, and in the summer it starts to stink in the heat.
There is a bylaw prohibiting garbage being placed on the street prior to 7 p.m. on Sunday, and according to Skelton the BIA reminds downtown businesses of the bylaw, but it isn’t fixing the problem.
The BIA is proposing two possible solutions:
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Council lobby Simcoe County for a different garbage pick up day in Collingwood
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The town and the BIA partner financially for private garbage pick up on Saturdays and Sundays.
Banners
Skelton told the committee the BIA currently has no permission to install banner arms and banners along First and Huron Streets within the BIA district. The BIA is requesting permission to install those, and suggest those locations could be used for wayfinding signage or would help set the atmosphere of the downtown district at its borders. Skelton suggested those banners could read “Welcome to Downtown Collingwood” and “Thank you for Visiting Downtown Collingwood.”
Wooden Windows
Skelton brought two issues to the committee regarding the current Heritage District restrictions for businesses within the designated area.
First, Skelton said the requirement to replace windows that are “original to the period” means many businesses have to install single-pane wood windows, which are expensive and not energy efficient.
Skelton said the BIA is asking the Heritage Committee to consider alternative materials that will look like wood, but be more cost and energy efficient.
According to discussions at the last heritage committee meeting on May 16, there is no requirement to make the windows single pane, but they do want the frames to be made of wood.
Rick Lex, who was responsible for the restoration of the Tremont building, said during the Heritage Committee meeting he used thermal pane windows in wood frames, so the heritage esthetic is still preserved, and the windows are more efficient.
The second issue raised by the BIA regarding Heritage district restrictions is the paint colours.
Currently the Heritage Committee has adopted the Benjamin Moore heritage palette.
According to the BIA and Skelton’s presentation, the exclusion of specific colours, and exemptions for corporate colours create issues for independent businesses creating signage.
The BIA is proposing the Heritage Committee adopt a paint palette that reflects all colour choices for signage.
The Development and Operations Services Standing Committee passed a resolution asking staff to look into all three points brought up by Skelton. That motion goes before council on Monday night (May 28) for final approval.
