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‘Renew’ New Tecumseth

March 21, 2013   ·   0 Comments

It’s amazing how an idea originates, and the thought process that went along with it. There are millions of ideas that are proposed each day, and many more that are just thoughts. Only a selected number of them come to fruition, and not all of them are successful. Watching a project that was just an idea at one point takeoff, is exciting and motivating. An extremely unique and interesting idea was kick-started in 2008, in attempt to rejuvenate Newcastle, a struggling Australian city. Marcus Westbury founded Renew Newcastle, a program designed to transform dying cities, and it was an instant success. In less than two years approximately 70 new businesses were created in the city’s downtown core, and Newcastle was dubbed one of the top ten cities in the world to visit. Renew Newcastle helped local entrepreneurs, artists, and professionals gain exposure. In a short amount of time, Marcus’ idea began to spread across the world, as other cities took notice. Recently New Tecumseth started its own renew program, with hopes of improving downtown Alliston, Beeton, and Tottenham.

In October 2012, Lisa Morrison was appointed project coordinator for Renew New Tecumseth, and the planning started immediately. Inspired by Renew Newcastle, New Tecumseth saw similar results. Through the programs networking, a downtown location was acquired for one of its first projects. The South Simcoe Arts Council (SSAC) held its annual Art Market in a vacant building within downtown Alliston, and experienced incredible results. With a new location, the SSAC increased their sales by $9, 794.04. A staggering 700% from the previous year, along with a 670% increase in the total number of shoppers. The new location provided the local artists with exposure they’ve never experienced before. Renew New Tecumseth was already proving to be an excellent decision for the SSAC, but also the property owner. The owner of the SSAC’s new downtown location had the building listed with a realtor for over two years, managing only five inquiries. Throughout the six weeks of the Art Market, the owner received eight new inquiries, securing a longterm lease for March 2013. The programs immediate success has created a lot of attention. Over 20 artists and entrepreneurs are interested in future storefronts.

Renew New Tecumseth has received support from its many partners, including the Alliston Business Improvement Association, the Beeton Tottenham Business Improvement Association, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation. With help from its supporters, the Renew New Tecumseth board of directors have outlined seven goals they hope to achieve throughout the programs first year. First year milestones are: 10% decrease in number of vacant stores in New Tecumseth, three to five jobs created or maintained, three to five startups put into vacant stores, Capital investments in the communities of $20, 000, increase of sales for existing businesses by 10%, volunteer hours contributed in the amount of 300 annually, and community event to be held to celebrate program launches. Renew New Tecumseth is constantly looking for property owners, artists, and entrepreneurs. Any interested parties can contact Lisa Morrison at info@renewnewtecumseth.ca

By Michael Tomasone

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