Adam Prudhomme
Beaver Staff
Construction of the first part of this year’s Diggin’ Downtown between John Street and Centre Street is set to conclude next week and the Greater Napanee Business Improvement Area plans to celebrate.
On July 7 they’ll host an event titled This Street Cares, teaming with local businesses and non-profit organizations for a day of sales, music and games for kids.
“We’re having not for profits and groups and clubs in the centre of street with different activity centres and information booths,” said Kärin Zätterberg, a summer student with the Greater Napanee BIA. “The library is coming and setting up giant Jenga and lots of other things for kids. The OSPCA is coming and bringing animals.”
Several non profit groups will also be holding fundraising sales to help raise money for their various causes.
Phase 2 of Diggin’ Downtown, which involves ripping up Dundas Street to replace water lines, sewers and electrical lines, began in late April. Though work will continue throughout the summer, This Street Cares will signify the start of a return to some normalcy in the downtown.
“It’s a great look at what the rest of the street will look like when construction is done,” said Zätterberg. “The construction is obviously an inconvenience but I think it’ll be worth it and it’ll help businesses in the long run to have a nicer, cleaner downtown area. I think this event will help to highlight that and bring some people downtown who haven’t been there in awhile and remind them this construction is worth it and beneficial for everyone.”
Store owners have banded together to offer a wide variety of sales as they strive to encourage foot traffic back through the downtown. Stores have remained open throughout the construction process despite the fact Dundas Street has been completely shut down to vehicular traffic while the construction crew works at repairing the infrastructure.
“The businesses downtown, the owners and the employees, they work together all the time and they are so friendly with each other and work with the BIA,” said Zätterberg. “They’re great.”
The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.