By Mike Anderson
Despite the Town’s best efforts to mitigate the impacts of construction detours, residents are avoiding Sutton’s downtown core, and some High Street businesses report sales down 15 to 30 percent.
“Foot traffic and sales are down significantly,” said Shauna Gray, owner of Village Traditions. “People are calling me a lot because they don’t seem to know how to navigate through the detours. It’s just hard to get around. And there’s no parking.”
“I suspected this might happen, but it’s a little more dramatic than I’d hoped. I’m also quite worried about when they’ll actually start working out front.”
The Town has launched a multifaceted communications and promotional campaign to support High Street businesses during Phase 1 of construction, which includes work on the bridge and a section of High Street near Highway 48.
The campaign includes Curbex signs on Dalton Road and Highway 48 informing motorists that High Street remains open for business.
Businesses have also been promoted through social media posts, a full-page ad in the Post, and several radio spots on K-Country 93.7 FM that aired during the Sutton Fair.
In addition, posters and flyers were distributed to local businesses to display and share with customers.
However, it’s unclear whether these efforts are gaining much traction.
For instance, Gray received an 8”x10” “We’re Open!” poster for her window, but she questions its effectiveness.
“There’s no foot traffic to see the poster. Nobody’s coming down High Street anymore. And all the empty storefronts don’t help,” she said.
Gray would like the Town to make a bigger marketing push to encourage residents to support businesses on High Street.
“It has to be a bigger sort of thing. I’m not sure more signage is going to be enough, but it would be a start.”
Gray also questions the effectiveness of social media posts.
“A lot of my customers don’t use social media; some of them don’t even have computers.”
However, Gray supports a discount card that could be redeemed at High Street businesses.
“Some kind of marketing that would get people to spend money,” she stressed.
Over at Black River Coffee, owner Elaine Coates is also feeling the pinch.
According to Coates, sales are down 15 percent since the construction started on the bridge.
“I’ve noticed my in-and-outs, my morning guys, have dropped off,” she said.
“They work in the area and have a tight timeline to run out for quick coffee and run back. They’ve told me navigating through the detour and trying to get back is too time-consuming.”
Coates is also worried about next year’s Phase 2, which will see the street in front of her business dug up.
“For the next one, it would be nice to be able to sit down with the contractor and see if there is a way to shut down the street in sections,” she said.
“So, I would be closed for a month and a half, but then I would be open full time.”
While Debbie Macina-Balinas, Co-Chair of the Sutton BIA, says her retail business, Sweet Pea Boutique, has not seen a dip in traffic or sales, she would like to see a 2-hour limit on street parking.
“Residents, business owners and contractors are parking all day in front of my store,” she said. “I’ve contacted bylaw on multiple occasions, requesting more enforcement and more signage. But I haven’t got any response from them.”
George Sheffield, who operates Sheffield Signs on Market Street, also wants more off-site parking and better signage.
He points out that signage is needed at the corner of HWY48 and High Street.
“Look at HWY48 and High Street; there’s nothing. I suggest they put up a sign with an arrow directing people to Tim Hortons; that’s the town’s main draw. A million cars are going by us every day, and they will drive through High Street to get a coffee.”
“While there are businesses, like hardware stores, that are market-proof. Those that rely on discretionary spending need walk-up traffic. So, there needs to be a draw.”
“You can have free gold bars inside a store. But if nobody knows the store is open. Then nobody goes there.”
For more information on High Street construction, visit (https://buildinggeorgina.ca/high-street-improvements-sutton).
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