The latest round of grants from the City of Orillia will aid in the creation of residential units, improved accessibility and new signage for various groups and businesses in town.
On Monday morning, the city presented a total of $77,500 from its Downtown Tomorrow Community Improvement Plan (DTCIP).
The biggest chunk of that money is going to a numbered company that purchased the former Orillia Laser Tag building, at 69 Peter St. S., last year. The $52,568 will go toward replacing windows, creating 10 residential units and installing a material lift.
“We figured Orillia needs residential, so why not go for it?” said Laurice Yousof, an official with the company.
Another part of the building will eventually house the offices of Liquidation Nation’s online store, which had previously rented space in Barrie.
“Now this is going to be their home. It’s a more stable place and it’s good because the (Liquidation Nation retail) store is so close,” Yousof said.
She thanked the city for its support and praised the grant program.
“It certainly does help,” she said. “It encourages people to go ahead and do more.”
NABI Inc./Steenhof Building Services was granted $10,000 for its building at 126 Mississaga St. E. The money will be used to update and improve outside signage, repair and replace exterior bricks and bring a designer in to rework the layout to accommodate a new health-care hub.
“It really helps out quite a bit. It’s going to provide not only some improvements, but better access and exterior signage,” said Jack Steenhof, president of Steenhof Building Services. “It makes it possible to do that little bit extra to make it better.”
The grading on the front entrance will be made less steep, making it easier for those with accessibility barriers to enter.
Steenhof didn’t have details on the health-care hub, but he said Dr. Matt Miller will be running it.
During Monday’s event, Steenhof thanked the city and said his company had “made a conscious commitment to move into the downtown core.”
Steenhof is also involved with the Couchiching Craft Brewing Company that is being built at the corner of Mississaga and Matchedash streets. He hopes to see that open sometime early in the new year.
He also said he has plans for the former Royal Bank at Peter and Colborne streets, but could not divulge any details yet.
A $7,500 grant will be used, in part, to make St. Paul’s Centre more accessible. Rebuilding the wheelchair ramp leading to the Great Hall will be “the key component” of the overall project, said communications co-ordinator Anna Proctor.
St. Paul’s Centre received a DTCIP grant last year, too, which went toward drawings for a new ramp.
The money will also be used to replace of planter boxes, repair exterior brickwork, install a new sign and have a mural created on the west side of the building. A call-out to artists will be made later.
“We thought it would liven it up,” said Proctor.
Hartley Haus, at the corner of Andrew and Colborne streets, received $4,096, which will be used to upgrade signage and awnings. Hartley Haus is a co-working space that is rented out and it will offer “hot desks,” allowing people to use Wi-Fi, printers and other services as needed.
A long-time downtown business is also getting a boost thanks to the DTCIP. Diane’s Beauty Salon, at 19 Mississaga St. W., received $3,235 to install new windows and a new business sign.
“It’s a tremendous help. I would have only been able to do one thing at a time,” said owner Diane Cleaveley.
Cleaveley has done business on the main street for 37 years, 23 of which have been at the current location. She has watched that part of the main street struggle over the years, but she’s encouraged by the renewed interest in the area.
“At one time, that main street was a going concern. We’re starting to see it pick up again,” Cleaveley said.
Mayor Steve Clarke is also excited about the interest shown not only in the west end of downtown, but throughout the core.
“The vacancy rate is miniscule,” he said. “I have not seen that before, and there’s some wonderful, new, exciting businesses.”
Laura Thompson, the city’s manager of real estate and commercial development, provided some new details Monday about the DTCIP.
The program has created 16 jobs since its inception in 2017, and 25 more are expected to be created once projects that are underway, including the Couchiching Craft Brewing Company and Creative Nomad Studios, are finished.
Funding from the DTCIP has also been used for 26 new residential units.
Thompson put the economic benefits of the program into perspective, noting for every $1 the city contributes, private developers contribute $16.
For more information on the DTCIP program, contact the city’s economic development office at 705-325-4900 or visit orillia.ca/investdowntown.
