Winter 2010 Newsletter

For those of you who may not have received the newsletter that was mailed out in late December, here it is (sans pretty picture and 3 column formatting):


Ongoing Website Issues and Our Brand New Blog!


Websites, as some of you may know, are a lot of work to maintain and keep current, not to mention expensive. It is something that the BIA Board has struggled with for a few years now. It has been difficult to maintain a website with volunteer help. The hours are long and the pay (Hah! What pay?) is very poor.

As we continue to struggle with this issue, we have also come up with a faster, cheaper (free!), easier way to maintain a presence on the web: a blog.

Thanks to Councilor Rick Cowsill for suggesting a blog at our November meeting as a way to update everyone quickly and easily on the activities of the BIA and the downtown core. And it’s interactive – allowing readers to comment and start a conversation, with the BIA and other readers, on the blog itself.

Please check out our new blog at

http://hespelervillagebia.blogspot.com/

Once at the blog, you can subscribe to receive email notification of any new postings, including meeting notifications and minutes. It couldn’t be any easier to stay up to date on what the BIA is doing.

Annual General Meeting

When: Wednesday January 20th, 2010 – 6 pm social time; 6:30 pm meeting starts.

Where: Ernie’s Road House

Why: to network with fellow downtown business owners and landlords; to meet with your BIA Board of Directors; to hear what is in store for next year and what went on last year; to get involved with BIA activities; and last but not least, to munch on yummy light refreshments provided by Ernie’s, courtesy of your BIA.

What: Along with the usual budget discussions and updates, Councilor Rick Cowsill will be presenting a marketing strategy for the downtown core at this year’s AGM. A marketing strategy is essential for a downtown core, in order to survive and thrive against the competition of malls and big box stores. Come hear what Rick has to say, and get in on the discussion!

BIA Advertising in SNAP

The BIA has a downtown Hespeler page in each and every

issue of SNAP, highlighting all

core businesses. Please contact Frank Centofanti at SNAP Cambridge to let him know of

your ideas and upcoming special events for inclusion in future issues. He can be contacted at 519-502-7272 or frank@snapcambridge.com.


Please check the BIA Blog for times and locations of BIA Board Meetings. We usually meet the 3rd Wednesday of each month, 6 pm at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Room 207. Meetings are open to everyone.

Our next meeting is January 20th, 2010 at 6 pm at Ernie’s Road House.


NEW Hespeler Village BIA email:

hespelervillagebia@gmail.com