Look who was caught smiling! Meike, one of the Downtown Development Board’s Summer Ambassadors, was featured as a TJ Smile
Category Archives: Flowers
More Flower Boxes for Our Downtown
Shown Above: Dan Muscat, Sandy & Dave Flay plus their grandson, Aurora Rodriguez and Earl Taylor placing 19 more flower boxes on Talbot Street in the rain on Sunday morning – adding to the 50 boxes we installed 3 weeks ago.
Thank you to the Arthur Voaden students who built us these lovely flower boxes. We would also like to thank Home Hardware for the discount on our materials. After the boxes were built we planted them with the flowers shown above as well as on Facebook at Vermeer Flowers.
Fresh Fest
Next Weekend Plans? How about checking out Fresh Fest?
Head out to the CASO Station and check out all the great events.
Weekend Events
Friday July 19th – Saturday July 20th
Launch of Savour Elgin Adventure Tours
Single Day Events
Friday July 19th
5th Annual Local Food Tasting Event
5:30-11pm, Historic CASO Railway Station, St. Thomas
With Elgin’s own Shuug & The Temporary Men, plus 2-time Juno nominees Cuff the Duke
$35 in advance / $40 at the door (includes $10 in sample coupons, 19+ event)
Saturday July 20th
FreshFest Morning at the Horton Farmers’ Market, 8am-12pm
Boardwalk Party and CD launch with the Sheridan Band, BBQ & Pie Bake-Off
$15 (includes $5 in sample coupons, an all-ages event)
Weekend package includes Friday admission, Saturday admission and bonus package for $40.
For more information click below or call 519-633-2535.
WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED
Fall is a time for reflection. Since the election of the current board many changes have been implemented. Let’s take the time to review what we have accomplished. The points listed are not in any particular order. Editor
- Attended the London Home and Lifestyle Show
- Supported Holy Angel’s 100 Anniversary
- Attended the Home,. Garden and Outdoor Living Show in St. Thomas
- Distributed a survey to participants at Home Show to determine what matters to our community
- Held Town Hall meeting to discuss concerns for the Downtown and to get initial input into new marketing strategies.
- Downsized the administrative position
- Reviewed previous board budgets and reallocated financial resources to meet new priorities
- As a result of the financial review, new fiscal policies created to increase accountability
- New website has been created and is being developed for content
- New full colour newsletter format created
- New directory and database is being created
- An email directory is also being developed to increase communications with community and DDB members
- Participated in the Downtown Spring Clean up
- Creation of new banners within the core area.
- Creation of new Art in the Park program. Two dates were determined with good participation and success on each date.
- Hiring of summer student to maintain the cleanliness of our downtown.
- Review of the Downtown Dollars Program
- Established constructive communication protocol with Mayor and City Council
- Increased advocacy to highlight areas of concerns within the downtown which need to be addressed.
- Improved public safety through bicycle signage and age and enforcement
- Ongoing development of new logo and marketing strategies
- Procured an independent bookkeeper
- We now utilize a volunteer model to cover most aspects of operating the DDB office.
- What’s Ahead
Review of advertising wall at Timken Centre
Upgrades for Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Decorations
Replacement of Garbage Cans on streets
Expanded area at the 2012 Home, Garden and Outdoor Living Show
New Art Program for 2012
Beautification Committee Report by Earl Taylor
One can’t help but notice the amazing flower boxes and baskets as you walk or drive along downtown Talbot Street! Plus to top it off, the beautiful graphic banners which added even more colour to this fabulous display.
We have received many complimentary comments from citizens of St. Thomas and from visitors to our city. Many thanks to those who helped make it happen. Mike Bisson from Maxwell’s FotoSource shot the photos of the actual flower baskets as they hung in the greenhouse and provided us with the graphic files used on the banners. Sandy Gillis of Louie’s Promotions printed the banners and then Ginette Minor and Suzanne Edwards from Genuine Stitches sewed the banners in the form you see on display along Talbot St. and around the corners of all side streets. Thanks also to Ross Tucker, Catherine Sprately and the crew from Parks and Recreation for installing the banners as well as the flower baskets and boxes and to the crew who originally planted everything and then watered and fertilized them every other day. However, all things must come to an end.
The flowers will disappear the week of September 12th. We tried to find a way to keep them on display until Thanksgiving, but the student work force just isn’t available to continue the watering program. Without a proper watering program the flowers will die quickly. So, for this year we’ll say goodbye to our floral display while they still look great. But, all is not bad news. We plan on leaving the banners in place until the late fall or until the Holiday decorations are installed.