Business owners in Victoria’s downtown will soon be able to access a new pool of money to improve the looks of the city’s streets.
Council unanimously approved Thursday a partnership with the Downtown Victoria Business Association to provide funding for the Business Façade Beautification Reimbursement Program.
The program, which is expected to come into force later this summer, will provide funds for improving and cleaning exterior building surfaces, upgrading exterior lighting, cleaning or replacing exterior awnings and adding landscaping.
The program will be administered by the business association, which sees it as an opportunity to bring blocks of downtown businesses together to make changes.
The program will have a $100,000 budget, with funding split evenly between the city and business association.
Businesses will be expected to contribute sweat equity and their own cash to ensure the program has an impact.
The city funding will come from the newly created Downtown Revitalization Program.
That program, which this year will have a budget of $980,000, was established this spring when council extended pay-parking hours and rates, saying a portion of the money would go to the beautification of downtown, cultural opportunities, parks and amenities.
Since May, paid parking has been in effect downtown 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., one hour more in the morning and two hours more in the evening. Daily and hourly rates increased by 50 cents per hour for most City of Victoria parking spaces.
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