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Beautification initiatives update
Dear Fernie business and property owners…
On behalf of the City of Fernie Beautification Committee, I would like to provide you with an update on our summer initiatives. The committee is dedicated to keeping our community attractive for residents and visitors alike; increasing community pride; and using beautification to enhance the unique features of our community.
Fernie is quickly becoming a summer, as well as winter, recreation destination. The authentic look and feel of our historic downtown and the diverse commercial and industrial properties along the highway are a major economic driver for our community. We would be grateful for your continued support throughout the summer to ensure the distinctiveness and vitality of Fernie.
You can help by
– Placing flowers and greenery around commercial properties to enhance the overall look and feel for residents and visitors. Please support our ‘Mountain Theme’ when choosing your flower species. These include naturally occurring plants and colors found in our region – whites, yellows, purples and reds.
– Maintaining your sidewalk business frontage and alleyways in a safe, clean and aesthetically pleasing manner for you and your clients (free of weeds, litter, food waste, cigarette butts). For approved weed control products, please see Schedule A within Pesticide Use Control Bylaw No. 2093, available on the City of Fernie’s website at www.fernie.ca.
– Being mindful of wildlife concerns in relation to garbage disposal and managing the proper lid closure of alley dumpsters. For information on preventing human-bear conflicts, please visit the Elk Valley Bear Aware website at www.elkvalleybearaware.wordpress.com.
– Coordinating with the City of Fernie when placing bicycle racks on property and right of ways. The city is working on a strategy for placing bicycle racks in strategic locations. For more information contact the Planning Department at 250-423-6817 or [email protected].
– Promptly removing graffiti from your property will help to discourage it from spreading throughout the community and will maintain an appearance that Fernie is clean, safe and inviting. Anti-graffiti sprays are available at many paint supply stores and help make cleanup much easier. We encourage you to visit the Office of the Privacy Commissioner’s website at www.oipc.bc.ca if you are considering the installation of security cameras as a tool to help discourage vandalism and protect your property assets.
– For 2nd Avenue businesses – encourage your employees to park their vehicles off 2nd Avenue making convenient parking spaces available to your customers.
Who/what the committee does
The committee is a select committee of council that provides advice and recommendations to council on strategies and expenditures for the beautification of public spaces and commercial and residential neighborhoods such as landscaping, streetscaping, furnishings, banners, and seasonal decorations.
What’s new
Some of the projects happening over this summer include:
– Out of the Box Art Initiative: nine waste recycle bins (lead image) were painted/decorated by local artists during the July 6 Victoria Avenue Sunday Social event and were placed throughout the community. This project was supported by the Fernie & District Arts Council and was completed in collaboration with Southeast Disposal, the Arts Station and the Beautification Committee.
– Summer Patios: Encourage residents and visitors to visit the patios on 2nd and 1st Avenues and the continued implementation of our ‘Mountain-Theme’ for flowers throughout Fernie.
– Decorative Winter Lighting: We are working with the City of Fernie to increase the decorative winter lighting along the highway corridor and would like to extend a special thank you to all the businesses that participated and supported a consistent ‘champagne’ lighting theme throughout the past winter.
– City Gifting Program: Through the generous support of our community, we will endeavor to enhance the community with amenities such as benches, bike racks, picnic tables and trees in our parks and trails. The development of this gifting program will focus donations towards these key areas while recognizing these generous contributions. Look for this to be completed and online this fall.
Did you know…
– That the city has Building Design Guidelines to protect the valuable heritage character of our downtown and promote an enhanced retail and service centre in the community? These guidelines are included as Schedule M of the Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 2231. If you are planning any exterior renovations to your commercial property please contact the Planning Department at 250-423-6817 for more information.
– That Sign Bylaw No. 1888 provides guidelines for size, style and location of commercial signs? Additional information is available at City Hall, 501 – 3rd Avenue, or on the city’s website at www.fernie.ca. The city has begun implementation of the Signage Strategy and new way finding signs are being installed throughout the community in a phased plan.
– That you can find out more information on Elk Valley Recycling by contacting the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) at 1-888-478-7335 or 250-489-2791? If you see an overflowing bin, please do not add to it; as it looks unsightly and can attract wildlife, we ask that you please take your garbage/recycling to the transfer station. To report overflowing bins, please call the RDEK, South East Disposal at 1-800-662-5744 or Waste Management at 1-877-430-1185.
– Fernie Bottle Depot (250-423-2009) located at 1291 Ridgemont Avenue accepts ‘End-of-Life’ electronics, as well as paint and household hazardous wastes.
– Please visit www.usedoilrecycling.com for information related to ‘Used Oil’
– Fernie Transfer Station (250-423-6477) is located at 6000 Highway #3 (across from Brenner Road) and operates Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
– That new businesses must apply to the city for a Business License prior to opening a business? Contact Bylaw Services at 250-423-6817 for details.
– That decorating your downtown street/sidewalk patio with plantings or flower baskets is a requirement under the Outdoor Patio Policy? Planters on patios and business fronts send a warm welcoming message attracting customers to your establishment. To protect your investment we suggest you consider taking any unsecured arrangements indoors after business hours.
Invitation to get involved
We want to hear from you, your feedback, ideas and participation as dedicated citizens of our beautiful community is very important to us. So, please give us your valued insights and inspiration. If you have some free time, we have a vacancy on our committee. Please send your letter of interest to [email protected].
Thank you for your support in helping keep Fernie beautiful and have an enjoyable and prosperous summer!
Sue Hutchinson-Bawden,
Chair, Beautification Committee
