Special constables have made a huge difference to the downtown, says the chair of the Downtown Brantford BIA.
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Barbara Sutherland said the constables have done a good job of managing homeless individuals who spend a lot of time in the downtown.
“We’re really pleased with the special constables,” Sutherland said. “They have come to know a number of our disadvantaged.
“They’re getting to know their problems and they’re helping them.”
The Downtown Brantford BIA (Business Improvement Area) is the voice of businesses in the city’s core. The special constables program, which began in 2022, was initiated by former Brantford Police Chief Rob Davis.
Sutherland said businesses are reporting fewer problems thanks to the special constables. She made the comments in response to the Downtown Brantford Priority Plan: 2024 Annual Report presented to city councilors at a Nov. 12 committee meeting.
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The report outlines various steps the city has taken to improve the downtown so far. It also includes future actions planned to help revitalize the city’s core.
Speaking at the Nov. 12 committee meeting, Mayor Kevin Davis said everyone recognized the downtown had deteriorated significantly through the pandemic. It was also known that the city would have to work to improve the situation.
A committee that includes representatives from various organizations including the BIA, Brantford Police and Laurier University, among others, was formed to work to increase safety and security. Other goals of the committee include increasing the number of events to make the downtown more livable and encourage growth.
Davis said the committee recognized improvements would take time and it would be important to review progress annually.
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“We all know that the downtown has improved in some respects and in other respects it hasn’t,” Davis said. “There continues to be a need to focus on the downtown, to fine tune what it is that we’re doing. “
Coun. Mandy Samwell, who was appointed downtown ambassador for city council, cited a number of initiatives that have helped the core.
“The special constables, the waste depot, the peace mural and the library’s youth area are some of the things that we wouldn’t ordinarily think about in terms of improving the downtown,” Samwell said. “It’s a lot of little things coming together.”
Aaron Wallace, the city’s director, strategic initiatives, said there is lots of determined and thoughtful work happening in the downtown and not just by the city.
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Wallace said the city is also starting to see some interesting artist renderings of what the downtown is going to look like in the future.
“The downtown is going to be pretty awesome,” Wallace said. “Some of the developments that have been approved, some of the work is being done by both developers, planners and community partners and we’re starting to get a sense of what the downtown looks like in the next five 10 and 15 years.”
The city is considering several development plans for the downtown including mixed housing proposals that include high rise condominiums.
The artist renderings include high rise buildings, a large open courtyard and a new sport entertainment center.
Sutherland said the Downtown BIA welcomes more development of the downtown.
“It brings more people to the downtown especially if those developments are providing accommodation,” Sutherland said. “There will be more people visiting downtown businesses and more retail and a greater variety of retail to the downtown.”
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