Report Card2019-2020

Canada’s Favourite DowntownVision

• Urban Mobility• Good Development• Downtown Placemaking• DHBC Leadership• Member Services

Strategic Priority Areas

ObjectivesURBAN MOBILITY • Achieve improved on-street

parking availability.• Increase public transit ridership into

and throughout Downtown core.• Expand alternative mobility options

within Downtown.• Increase pedestrian traffic.• Reduce truck traffic in

Downtown core.

GOOD DEVELOPMENT • Promote creation of a

strategic development framework for Downtown.

• Influence and inform design guidelines for private and large-scale infrastructure development (e.g. Cogswell District and HRM by Design).

• Advocate for change in the construction mitigation by-law to mandate that BIDs have input into mitigation plans.

• Ensure effective communications to members related to large development projects.

PLACEMAKING • Strengthen beautification

efforts Downtown.• Increase event

attendance Downtown.• Advocate for and inform the

development, maintenance, and activation of new and existing public spaces.

DHBC LEADERSHIP • Enhance DHBC’s profile

through increased media attention, more speaking engagements, and strategic facilitation and communications.

• Be the expert on all things Downtown through the collection, dissemination, and application of data, research, and knowledge translation.

• Strengthen and improve the DHBC brand and execute marketing programs that align with and support it.

• Maintain the Navigator Street Outreach program and increase its member awareness.

MEMBER SERVICES • Be the voice of the members in

issues related to Downtown.• Create opportunities for members

to collaborate on and give input into existing and emerging issues.

• Increase opportunities for professional development.

• Enhance awareness and promotion of member benefits through increased information and knowledge sharing.

• “Leading with Transit” group• Transportation Demand

Management plan for Cogswell District

• Parking advisory committee• Downtown parking garage –

HRM, NS, Canada Lands Corp.• Ride-hailing (Uber, Lyft, etc.)

advancements with new HRM and NS regulations

Urban Mobility

Urban MobilityREPORT CARD

Achieve improved on-street parking availability.

Increase public transit ridership into and throughout Downtown core.

Expand alternative mobility options within Downtown.

Increase pedestrian traffic.

Reduce truck traffic in Downtown core.

METRICS

• Parking pay stations delayed until fall 2020.• Transit ridership up 4.8%.• Downtown Hali Train did not operate in 2019.• Segway Nova Scotia scooters, Harbour Watercraft rentals

began operation in 2019.• King’s Wharf, CarShare, I Heart Bikes in operation 2019-2020.• Council approved framework to allow for Ride-Hail (Uber, Lyft, etc.) to

operate in Halifax.• Pedestrian counts showed decline of 5.2% traffic over previous year.• Port of Halifax: container growth in 2019. • Approval of train-shuttle (which will eliminate 75% of Downtown truck traffic)

is scheduled for 2022-24.

Objective is being met/exceeded.

Objective is not being achieved.

? ? Objective is neutral or there is not enough information to measure it.

• “Cogswell Coalition”– land use by-law

• Centre Plan Package A approval• Centre Plan Package B and

Downtown plan input• Hollis Street and Lower Water

Street bike lane design• Creation of ‘Old South Suburb’

Heritage Conservation District• Construction mitigation by-law

and fund(s)

Good Development

Good DevelopmentREPORT CARD

Promote creation of a strategic development framework for Downtown.

Influence and inform design guidelines for private and large- scale infrastructure development (e.g. Cogswell District and HRM by Design).

Advocate for change in the construction mitigation by-law to mandate that BIDs have input into mitigation plans.

? ?Ensure effective communications to members related to large development projects.

METRICS

• No policy developed on strategic development framework.• Informing Development:

• Cogswell - successful changes to road network design. • Ralston Building - provided input on preferred development framework for sale. • CentrePlan - some changes to final plan, based on Keesmaat report. • Hollis/Lower Water Street Bike Lanes - design recommendations not implemented in final design.

• Recommended changes to construction mitigation favourably received by HRM staff (Council approval TBA).

• DHBC membership survey (spring 2020) will measure effectiveness of communications efforts by DHBC.

Objective is being met/exceeded.

Objective is not being achieved.

? ? Objective is neutral or there is not enough information to measure it.

• Cornwallis Park enhancements• Downtown Crew (collected

580,000 cigarette butts)• 8 Gritty to Pretty grants (lighting,

murals, infrastructure)• Re-installation of Barrington Street

rainbow crosswalks• Sponsorship of 28 events • Argyle Street event guidelines• New events (Citadel Hill Picnic,

Wake-Up Downtown Halifax)

Placemaking

PlacemakingREPORT CARD

Strengthen beatification efforts Downtown.

? ?Increase event attendance.

Advocate for and inform the development, maintenance, and activation of new and existing public spaces.

METRICS

• 160 building permits issued for Downtown Plan area in 2019-2020.• HRM invested $94,000 on Argyle Street.• DHBC invested $48,000 in beautification projects.• Event guidelines were created for Argyle Street with DHBC

and business input.• Cornwallis Park was used as centerpiece of holiday promotions.• New public space, Queen’s Marque, coming 2020.

Objective is being met/exceeded.

Objective is not being achieved.

? ? Objective is neutral or there is not enough information to measure it.

• Port-related truck traffic re-routing• Long-term public realm program

creation (Action 50)• Enhanced CEO profile (local,

national, international)• Creation of the “Downtown

Lowdown” podcast• “One National Voice” federal

advocacy paper• Advancing creation of new

community organization• Additional $50,000 BID funding

from HRM• Navigator Street Outreach program

DHBC Leadership

• Holiday Promotions: The Chronicle Herald Holiday Parade of Lights, HRM Tree Lighting, Skating at Scotiabank Centre, Light Science/Holiday Concert/Fire Performance at Cornwallis Park, Chilli Warm-Up on Argyle Street, The Big Sing, Silent Dance Party, Ice Sculpting/Petting Zoo/Snowy Science at Cornwallis Park, Carollers, Splendor in the Park, Holiday Light Trail, Free Waterfront Parking, Holiday Gift Guide

• DHBC Brand Update• Seasonal Campaigns (Show Your

Downtown Love, Patios)

DHBC Leadership(Marketing)

DHBC LeadershipREPORT CARD

Enhance DHBC’s profile through increased media attention, more speaking engagements, and strategic facilitation and communications.

Be the expert on all things Downtown through the collection, dissemination, and application of data, research, and knowledge translation.

Strengthen and improve the DHBC brand and execute marketing programs that align with and support it.

Maintain the Navigator Street Outreach program and increase its member awareness.

METRICS

• Creation of “Downtown Lowdown” podcast.• Key speaking engagements included TV, newspaper, radio, International

Downtown Association conference, IDA Canada national summit, BIDs in Sweden, BIABC conference.

• 4,483 news mentions with potential reach of 3.66 billion; 12.9k social media mentions.

• Increased expertise in five strategic priority areas through professional development, research, IDA Top Issues Councils.

• Development of new DHBC brand (launched spring 2020)• Navigator Street Outreach key stats:

• Worked with 146 different clients. • 36 clients moved into housing. • 54 clients obtaining work equipment to obtain employment. • 130 different pieces of ID. • 20 clients assisted in moving out of town for work and/or housing.

Objective is being met/exceeded.

Objective is not being achieved.

? ? Objective is neutral or there is not enough information to measure it.

• Downtown member census and employee count

• First Aid sessions• Member parties (fall and

Christmas)• New Membership Handbook• Neighbourhood events• Strategic Plan launch at AGM• Virtual Reality Tour of

Downtown Halifax

Member Services

Member ServicesREPORT CARD

Be the voice of the members in issues related to Downtown.

Create opportunities for members to collaborate on and give input into existing and emerging issues.

Increase opportunities for professional development.

Enhance awareness and promotion of member benefits through increased information and knowledge sharing.

METRICS

• Advocacy page created for DHBC website.• DHBC advocacy efforts were successful (e.g. public realm fund, construction

mitigation, Cogswell road network, increased BID funding, etc.)• Advocacy meetings created, but due to lack of participation, only the retail

sector was completed.• First Aid sessions were increased for 2019-2020 and mindfulness and social

media sessions were added.• New Member Handbook was created, full distribution spring 2020.• Full membership census was completed in 2019.

Objective is being met/exceeded.

Objective is not being achieved.

? ? Objective is neutral or there is not enough information to measure it.

16 objectives met/exceeded.

2 objectives not being met.

?? 2 objectives lack sufficient information to measure.

Final Report