Downtown Halifax looks to attract customers this Christmas season
Dartmouth Crossing is a shopping hot spot, Mic Mac Mall, thanks in part to the rebirth of Woody the Talking Christmas Tree, is enjoying a bustling holiday rebirth, and it seems the Halifax Shopping Centre is always busy, too.
So how, in this competitive landscape can downtown Halifax attract customers?
"We are all ready to go with the Evergreen Festival," said Paul MacKinnon from the Downtown Halifax Business Commission.
MacKinnon said an outdoor festival-like atmosphere is likely to draw a variety of people and shoppers to the area. He believes the downtown core is primed to come alive in the coming weeks. He is also keeping a close eye on the renovation of Spring Garden Road.
"What’s good for Spring Garden Road is good for downtown, and vice versa," said MacKinnon.
Kurt Bulger said his Spring Garden Road business is doing roughly 65 per cent of normal pre-pandemic business expectations.
"It is better than we hoped for," said Bulger.
Bulger said the pathway to prosperity for Spring Garden Road merchants has not been an easy one to navigate in his opinion.
"Bike lanes. They got rid of parking. They changed the parking rules. They increased the parking rates," he added.
Bulger is confident the massive renovation of Spring Garden Road will dramatically improve the area. However, he questions the timing.
"They did everything they could to make it more difficult to shop downtown during the pandemic."
Shopper Amy Tannenbaum agreed and said blocked off walkways make it difficult to shop.
"If I’m going somewhere, I need to go around a few times because I’m going the wrong way," said Tannenbaum.
MacKinnon admits it is not easy for pedestrians in places. However, he adds, the notion that there is not enough parking is pure fiction.
"It is a perception. There are 6000 parking spaces downtown," said MacKinnon.
MacKinnon wants people to spread the word and flock to downtown Halifax during the upcoming holiday season.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Bayer recalls hydraSense baby product over 'potential contamination'
Bayer announced Thursday it is recalling two lots of its hydraSense Baby Nasal Care Easydose due to a potential contamination.
N.L. gardening store revives 19th century seed-packing machine
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.