Timmins Downtown Business Improvement Association will be hosting a celebration of the growth and accomplishments of downtown business next Tuesday, October 18, 2016 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the vacant Tweed and Hickory store on Third Avenue and Pine Street South.
Today Noella Rinaldo and the staff from the Timmins DBIA were at the Tweed and Hickory site getting things ready for next week’s celebration as movers brought tables and chairs in to accommodate guests.
Invitations were mailed out to invited guests and members of the public are also invited to attend with the purchase of a ticket at $10 each. Tickets are available at the BIA office at 71 Balsam Street South, Suite 2 (705-264-8733); [email protected]
The invitation was inscribed with the following words:
“The Downtown Timmins BIA will be recognizing the businesses and building investments of BIA members this past year.”
“We will be welcoming new businesses that have joined us and also celebrating the achievements of the BIA.”
The invitation goes on to say:
“This unique celebration will be introducing a new BIA initiative in the Downtown area to foster growth. Also looking to a bright future we will be announcing possible new infrastructure project and a new business in your Downtown Timmins.”
While Rinaldo would not give out specifics about the new initiative, she did say it was called the “empty building” initiative – a drive to fill unoccupied spaces created by the closure of downtown businesses.
In addition to being the executive director of the Downtown BIA, Rinaldo is also one of the four councilors representing the central Timmins Ward 5 which includes the downtown area.
The other three are Councilors Michael Doody, Rick Dubeau and Andrew Marks.
In a conversation with Councilor Dubeau today, he said he wasn’t sure if he was invited to attend the event as he was a member of the BIA until he was ousted last month for taking a position against the new nine metre distance for smoking outside of downtown shops, which the BIA supported.
