Vincent also said the DRBIA is very excited to onboard its newest member, stay tuned with myFM for the details | Mik Horvath/MBC
Easing into 2026 the Downtown Renfrew Business Improvement Area (DRBIA) has some new figures and changes to report for this year.
Aligned with the four-year election period of the town, this year the DRBIA has elected new board members and shuffled existing members around the table a little bit.
Back at the helm in the chair position is Lisa Vincent (Ella’s Keeping Company).
It’s a position she’s held before, in fact, she’s been an on-and-off member of the board for around 27 years.
Vincent said one of the biggest changes to the DRBIA is how much more structured its become; executing policies and running meetings are not unlike Renfrew’s council.
She said over the years it has really streamlined how the administration delegates and takes action.
Speaking on action, Vincent said the DRBIA really wants to showcase Renfrew’s potential, starting with commercial vacancies in the downtown core.
It’s an issue the DRBIA has been trying to work out with Renfrew’s Economic Development Advisory Committee.
The DRBIA’s core principles are based around the promotion of Renfrew’s downtown and the businesses within.
Vincent said filling the vacancies reinforces the downtown’s foundation for future growth and development.
Another way the DRBIA is sticking with the times is with the Hello program.
They’ve moved their paper gift certificates to the modern plastic Hello gift cards which can be loaded online like most gift cards today.
Vincent and the board is quite happy with how much more accessible the Hello cards are for downtown shoppers.
She said those figures are a monetary amount; the gift cards made $13,500 in revenue in one year as opposed to the $1,300 from the paper gift certificates.
The digital payment method also gives the DRBIA more data to analyze; they can see where customers shop the most and when, which can be used as a point of interest when planning events and promotions.
Another big project the DRBIA will be focusing on this year is posting signage to promote the downtown on the surrounding recreational trails.
In partnership with Ottawa Valley Trails and there will be signs put up on the surrounding walking trails to direct hikers, cyclists, snowmobilers and other trail commuters to Renfrew’s downtown.
Vincent said it’s a unique opportunity to capitalize on a whole new demographic.
The signs will also feature a new DRBIA and area map, showcasing the downtown core as well as other tourist stops in Renfrew such as the McDougall Mill Museum.
(Written by Mik Horvath)
