If you have a stake in North Bay's downtown or an interest in the overall health of the city, tune in to the North Bay City Council meeting streaming at 6:30 p.m. tonight for two topical presentations from stakeholders.
It could get interesting.
Main Street West spin cycle studio REVolve and its owners, Jane Kelly and David Barrie, only began to set up shop in June and are poised to voice some of their experiences to council in a presentation titled "Homelessness — Impact on Businesses in the Downtown Core." according to the agenda.
Earlier this year, a report was prepared as a result of the Mayor's Roundtable, stemming from a "notable increase in visible homelessness downtown," in 2019. In recent weeks, members of the homeless community brought their plight to the attention of the public and municipal officials by sleeping on City Hall's doorstep. After demands to speak to Mayor Al McDonald were not met a confrontation ensued with a by-law officer. The group was ultimately offered shelter in exchange for vacating the property.
In other recent downtown news, Vested Interest closed up shop on Main Street East after three years at that location, preferring instead to operate from Callander. And, a frustrated downtown homeowner says she is selling her home after numerous thefts from her property and encounters with addicts and people congregating in a nearby vacant lot.
Will the presentation ruffle some feathers or serve as a reality check as the owners of an upstart downtown business bring concerns about what they have encountered in town so far?
The night's second public presentation will come from Jaymie Lathem and Alix Voz of the Public Art Advisory Committee (PAAC)on the City of North Bay's public art policy. The installation of traffic signal box artworks, a PAAC initiative, is now underway in the downtown core.
In a related story, the City of North Bay recently rolled out business incentives, including a downtown grant of up to $2,500 toward eligible public art.
Other council business in Coun. George Maroosis' first official meeting back includes notice of a member's resignation from the Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee (MAAC) and discussion of the renewal of City employee benefits.
Council is also expected to approve an agreement with the province to receive nearly $38,000 funding from the Municipal Transit Enhanced Cleaning program and will vote on authorizing a $200,000 payment to the North Bay–Mattawa Conservation Authority toward replacement of the Oak Street pedestrian bridge.
BayToday will have full coverage of tonight's virtual regular meeting.
