Some downtown business jumped 15% this summer

The numbers tell the story of a fairly successful summer in Belleville’s downtown business section, despite COVID-19.

Normally summer means a slowdown for business in the city centre but that’s not the story for the eight weeks of Al Fresco in July and August. Downtown Belleville Executive Director Marijo Cuerrier tells Quinte News there was a marked increase in pedestrian traffic.

“We actually had a marked increase this summer. We typically have between 4,000 and 5,500 per week pedestrian counts.”

“This year we hit close to 8,000 on our highest week. And we were averaging in around 6,500.”

And a survey indicates the stores and restaurants did well.

Cuerrier adds, “We have the data points to prove it with pedestrian counts and some surveys we’ve put out since the events have completed. In answer to your first question was it worth it? Absolutely. It was the next step, oddly enough in the middle of COVID, to become a destination for people. That story wasn’t the same for everybody across board but the majority of people had a very good summer. Partially what we at the BIA helped to achieve but it’s also partially the community gathered around their own community. That’s one of the side effects of COVID, everybody realized how important it is to stay local.”

Al Fresco ran throughout the summer at a cost of $100,000, which included grants from the city and the province.