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MEMBERS MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, March 14th, 2024 5pm-6pm
Location: Sidetrack Café & by Zoom
ITEMS:
- Announcing new OSBA Board member
- Grand Wood Park, 6 acres of opportunities!
- My Main Street FedDev federal grant for your business?
- Update on Black Walnut rebuild and the Ridout bridge & Wharncliffe underpass construction
- OSCO update: Gathering on the Green, Thames River Clean Up & looking for volunteers.
- Canada Summer Jobs job sharing possibilities.
- Summer Sunday Farmers Market in the village: Fanshawe Business School on board.
- How the government could possibly get all of your lighting replaced for free.
- An easy way the OSBA can help promote your sale / event.
- Communications & Memberships report: We’re growing quickly!
- OSBA info cards, pens & outdoor stickers available upon request.
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Summary
Announcing new OSBA Board member
- Thank you to Danielle Hoevenaars from Westland Gallery for her service as an OSBA Board Member. She has moved on to another job in Woodstock.
- Congratulations to Ashley Satchell from Featherfields on her appointment to the OSBA Board! The board considered her leadership in organizing the shopping night last year, being a real “connecter” in the business community, a strong supporter of the OSBA and the friendly, professional manner in which she conducts business primary reasons for her appointment.
- Thank you to all that showed an interest and applied on filling the vacant board position. There were some incredible candidates!
Grand Wood Park, 6 acres of opportunities!
Kate Boroszcz from Grand Wood Park:
- There will be an Easter Egg Hunt event March 23rd on the grounds starting at 10:30am with eggs everywhere, a band and bake sale set up by various vendors etc.
- They have hosted a classic car show with 60 cars and plan on doing that again.
- Plans are in place for a night market on the grounds from the end of May until July 5-9pm with vendors, live entertainment and food trucks.
- They are opening up the property for the community to use. There is plenty of parking on site and they have a lot of indoor space available to be used including a sunroom that could be a great meeting room, an auditorium overlooking the gardens that can fit 150 people with its own entrance and you can line up whatever catering you would like. If you have any ideas of how you would like to use some of their space, just reach out! Kate.Borszcz@grandwoodpark.ca
My Main Street FedDev federal grant for your business?
Ashley Satchell, Featherfields:
- My Main Street is a federal grant (not a loan) for brick and mortar smaller B to C (Business to Customer) businesses with store to store fronts and generally not near big box stores.
- The owners must be Ontario residents and have 1 to 15 employees. There is a map on their website to see if your business is eligible to apply.
- You can fill out an application on how you could benefit from money, say $20k, to strengthen your capacity and support for the growth of your business, such as with technology, software, equipment, leasehold improvements, new product lines and marketing. Deadline to apply is the end of the month. www.mymainstreet.ca fill out the pdf form and include a photo of your storefront.
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Ian Leishman, OSBA: If you are interested in this and for some reason are not included on their map as an eligible business for the grant, please let the OSBA know and we may be able to help by doing some advocating for you.
Update on construction that could affect businesses
Skylar Franke, Ward 11 City Councillor:
- Victoria Bridge Project is on schedule to be completed for Summer 2024.
- Wharncliffe underpass was supposed to get underway early next year, but now will be 2028 because of a lack of budget associated to it. CN Rail could supersede that though and it could be sooner if they see the need to push forward with that.
- Black Walnut is close to start breaking ground on their rebuild.
- Craig Street slated to be under construction in 2025 for sewer updates. Residents will get letters soon about that. Impacted from street shut down: Tuckey’s, Black Walnut, Sidetrack Cafe.
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Jeff Rowe, Old South Pub: Please ensure construction materials do not come in and out of the business district.
Update from OSCO
- Gathering on the Green: Will be held June 1st this year and plans are ramping up. If you want to sell food, you’ll need to submit an application for that. OSCO is looking for volunteers to help with events! Form to sign up: https://forms.gle/kyLPq7bNkvN549iK7)
- Thames River Clean-up: Being held on March 20th. Meeting at Carfrae St. Park at 8:30/9:00am.
- Thames Pool: City is starting to actively deconstruct the pool and OSCO is seeking to add committee members for guiding how that space will be used going forward. Reach out to OSCO here: www.oscolondon.ca
Canada Summer Jobs job sharing
The OSBA has applied for funding to hire two full-time students with Canada Summer jobs for April 22 to August 16th to help with our membership drive, sales, administration and marketing for businesses and events, and there may be some job sharing opportunities with Old South businesses.
Summer Sunday Farmers Market in the village
The Fanshawe College Business Program has firmed up their commitment to help see this venture to fruition. The draft plan is for this majority local food market, but also with craft vendors and live entertainment to be Sundays in July and August from 8am to 12N on Wortley Road in the business district. If you're interested in being part of the planning committee, just let us know at info@oldsouthba.com.
OSBA Communications & Memberships report
Communications
Facebook page followers: 3600+ (last month: 3600+)
Facebook group members: 1500+ (last month: 1400+)
Mailchimp: Recipients: 339 (last month: 323)
Open Rate: 52.3% = 169 opens (for Feb Mixer Recap/Board Opening/Advocating e-blast)
Google Business Profile: 177 views in past month (As of March 6th)
Memberships
# of members: 50 (Last month: 41)
Past month new members, welcome to:
> Rob Dunn & Dundee Plumbing Services
> Maria Calleja & Budding Artists, helping organizations raise funds for children’s artwork
> Mati Edwards & MatiDesign Interior Decorator & Home Stager
> Eric Brown and the Infinity School, Innovative Montessori and Acton Academy microschool in Wortley
> Conrad Bedard and Tap Truck, a unique mobile beverage catering service
> Joanne Johnson & 2Steps2Home, successful Realtor and negotiator.
An easy way the OSBA can help promote your sale or event
Luna, Rising Moon Belly Dance: Asked how do you promote something through the OSBA?
> Sign up for use the OSBA’s Old South Business & Events Facebook Group Page
(https://www.facebook.com/groups/oldsouthlondon)
You can post anything Old South business or events related up to 3 times per month.
(Some exceptions can be made of course. The limit is just to avoid people abusing
the opportunity to advertise in this way and avoid having community members feel
like the content being posted is spam.)
How the government could possibly get all of your lighting replaced for free.
Jonathan Tate, Tate’s Motorcar:
He had all of his lighting replaced for free from the government in his shop through the Ontario Energy Efficiency Program. Contractors just came in and replaced everything to LED lighting for free. The advisor said they have saved the equivalent of a nuclear reactor’s production by changing lighting to commercial businesses.
Where you can sign up: https://saveonenergy.ca/For-Your-Small-Business/Programs-and-Incentives/Small-Business-Program
OSBA info cards, pens & outdoor stickers available upon request.
- If you would like any of the following just let us know through www.OldSouthBA.com:
> An OSBA sticker 5.5in x 2.5in that can withstand being outdoors for your business.
> OSBA info cards to give to someone conducting business in Old South who may want to join.
> OSBA pens, because they’re great! :)
NEXT MEETINGS:
- Member’s Meeting: Thu April 11th, 4pm @ Robert Q Travel
- Business Mixer: Thu June 13th 4:30-6pm @ Old South Pub (Free hors d'oeuvres & first drink)
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