By Wolf Depner Western News Staff Sep 05 2007 http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/
Mayor Jake Kimberley promised that downtown revitalization would be back on the agenda when council starts discussing next year’s budget in defending the city’s revitalization policy. “There is still money being spent in there to upgrade the downtown core, (but) not as much as requested,” he said. He made that comment after questions about the state of downtown revitalization. “Downtown revitalization is not a project that is on our books right now,” said Leo den Boer, city administrator, pointing to a lack of support from area merchants. These comments came after council moved ahead with reconfirming legislation that would tax businesses within the Downtown Business Improvement Area to raise funds for the maintenance and improvement of streets, sidewalks and other municipally-held properties. The legislation — which received first reading yesterday — would apply for five years, pending approval from at least half of the affected owners accounting for at least half of total assessed value.
Downtown Penticton Association executive director Corrine Omand said the proposed levy enjoys “large” support among members. DPA president Peter Benson welcomed the renewal of the legislation expected to raise about $100,000. “I think it is great,” said Benson. “It is exactly what we want ... it will help us stay in existence.” The money raised through the BIA has helped the DPA make significant contributions to projects and promotions beneficial for the downtown core, he said. But revitalization of the downtown core along the lines seen in other communities is still off. Council did not include $150,000 in the 2007 budget for revitalization and the DPA did not gather enough support from the city’s perspective to move forward with plans revitalize the 200 and 300 blocks of Main Street at cost of just under $3 million. Original plans to revitalize all seven blocks in one swoop were deemed too pricey.
Benson said revitalization plans for the 200 and 300 block are still on the table, adding that the DPA will bring them forward again. Past efforts to revitalize those two blocks failed to gain support, because the DPA could not a commitment from banks and some non-resident property owners, said Benson, who now is lobbying the city to finance revitalization through the alternate approval process. Benson — who in the past accused the city of only “paying lip-service” to revitalization — said numerous studies agree with the importance of a healthy, vital downtown to the overall health of a community. "And if you let (downtowns) go, it takes a huge effort to get them back,” he said.
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