Gravenhurst council has agreed to temporarily waive rental fees at Cockburn Square at the Muskoka Wharf for nearby businesses who may be affected by the “Bay and Beyond” infrastructure project.
Amy Taylor, manager of economic development, said during the June 18 council meeting the pause in collecting the fee will be in place for the first two stages of the project, which she explained will likely be finished in about a year.
The initiative stems from a deputation made last month by Heather Fraser, manager of the Muskoka Shipyards.
“The need from the business community came out that they would like to see some daytime activities,” summarized Taylor.
She clarified the fees will only be waived for Cockburn Square and exclusively for businesses at the wharf. Taylor added any event will still have to meet all the town’s rules.
The “We Dig Gravenhurst” program was also outlined.
Taylor detailed how it will feature contests, giveaways, and a hardhat scavenger hunt for kids, among other ideas, with the aim to bring people to the wharf. She added the town will be handing out “We Dig Dollars” that can be used at businesses at the wharf.
She said most of the programming will be done outside of normal construction hours during the week with some incentive-based activities happening in the early afternoon.
“The impact to the [town] is minimal as many of the regular renters of Cockburn Square have relocated this season to avoid construction impacts,” explained Taylor. “There would be no displacement of current rentals and limited staff resources required outside of normal operation.”
Mayor Heidi Lorenz said while it may be a difficult time for businesses near where the work is happening, she added this is a time when communities usually come together to support each other.
“We have empathy for the businesses down there and want to see them do well,” she added.
