Ward 4 has the Greenview Industrial BIA and it is making strides in attracting new bossiness to the area. Congrats to the first two in Calgary on their milestone!
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This year marks 40 years since the establishment of the 17th Avenue Retail & Entertainment District BIA and Marda Loop BIA, the first two BIAs in Calgary. Since 1984, the two BIAs have supported the development of local businesses, public spaces and neighbourhoods in their areas. Their work has shaped the fabric of these iconic Calgary communities and afforded each a reputation as a destination for Calgarians to do business, access services, explore, shop, eat, drink and gather with family and friends.
In 1983, the Government of Alberta passed legislation which allowed municipalities to establish Business Revitalization Zones, now referred to as Business Improvement Areas. The next year, the 17th Avenue Association, an association of local business owners, signed a petition requesting The City create the 17th Avenue BIA (now referred to as the 17th Avenue
Retail & Entertainment District BIA), and on September 18, it became Calgary’s first. Not long after, on December 18, The South Calgary BIA (now called Marda Loop) became Calgary’s second BIA, and over the years, 13 more BIAs have been established.
Councillor Richard Pootmans was a founding member of the 17th Avenue BIA and at the time, owned a business in the area. He said there were two reasons why the businesses felt the need to create a BIA. “The first, was to better promote the area to counter the competition for shopping from Chinook Mall and the plans for the Eau Claire Market. The second reason was the need to advocate for improvements and more investment in the deterioratingstreetscape on 17th Avenue,” says Councillor Pootmans.
Samantha Stebbe is a third-generation owner of Walls Alive, a legacy business on 17 Avenue. Her grandfather started the upscale paint and wallpaper store in 1970, and her father remains a board member of the BIA. Stebbe has fond memories of visiting the store as a child and teenager and hearing the history of the area from her father and grandfather.
“This area used to be known as paint alley,” says Stebbe. “Every major paint brand had a shop along 17 Ave, and this location was once the Pratt and Lambert store until my grandfather bought it and named it Walls Alive. Now we are the only paint and wall décor store left on paint alley.”
“The 17 Avenue BIA has been essential in the area’s development,” says Stebbe. “Businesses owners by themselves can find it hard to have their voices heard, but if there’s a collective of businesses negotiating and advocating with The City of Calgary for the betterment of the whole area, together we have a really strong voice.”
Businesses located in a BIA pay a small tax which goes directly to the BIA. The BIA invests the money in their businesses’ success through promotions, activations, events, placemaking, public realm improvements, local economic development initiatives and advocating for their member businesses. They improve and maintain property and public parking and promote the area to bring more Calgarians to their local businesses.
This hard work over the last 40 years is in large part what has transformed 17th Avenue and Marda Loop into what they are today – two of Calgary’s most loved neighbourhood destinations.
“Walkable, neighborhood shopping areas and main streets are important to the success local businesses, and BIAs play a large role in ensuring those areas are great places to have a business, great places to shop and visit, and great places to live,” says Bob van Wegen, executive director of Marda Loop BIA.
Looking back on the area’s history, Wegen says the name Marda Loop came from a contest that was held by the BIA (then BRZ) 40 years ago. “The name draws upon two things; the historic Marda Theater that used to be here and the trolley loop that was well known in the area for many decades. These two things aren’t here anymore but that name and that history exists and is a big part of our brand.”
Many changes have come to Marda Loop over the last 40 years. The area is sought after by home buyers and has a strong and vibrant business community which now boasts more than 190 shops, restaurants and services.
Calgarians can join in the 40th anniversary celebration of BIAs by supporting one of 6500 businesses represented by 15 BIAs in operation today throughout the city. There are many ways to do that including leaving positive online reviews, subscribing to business mailing lists, following their social media, sharing favorite businesses with others, and shopping at stores in-person and online. By supporting local you contribute directly to Calgary’s economic resilience and enhance local livelihoods.
Learn more about BIAs and their enduring impact at Calgary.ca/BIA.
