After 14 years of trying to improve Barrie’s downtown, Craig Stevens has tendered his resignation to the board.
With his resignation letter handed in at tonight's Downtown Barrie Business Improvement Area (BIA) board meeting, Stevens is stepping down from his position as managing director effective Friday, Dec. 13.
Stevens has accepted a position with the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) Foundation where he will work with a team focused on the local business sector raising money for the Barrie hospital's expansion of services and technology.
The last few months have been contentious at the BIA, with several resignations and a near-complete overhaul of its board.
Within the span of a few days in October, six people stepped down from the board. City council also removed the city representatives, Couns. Clare Riepma and Keenan Aylwin, on Oct. 28.
However, Stevens says the turmoil didn't play a role in his decision.
"This has been a personal process that has started a while ago," he said. "In considering my 14 years of service with the BIA, the knowledge and learnings I gained, I felt it was a good time to be able to look at other opportunities of being able to contribute to our community.
"The position at the RVH Foundation offered an exciting and great opportunity to start a new chapter in the community," Stevens added.
Looking back on his time with the BIA, Stevens tells BarrieToday he has many fond memories.
"I have so many favourite moments, but my most favourite would be when a new business opens up downtown, an anniversary of a business or on a daily basis just seeing people enjoying the downtown," he said.
However, Stevens singled out the redevelopment of Meridian Place and Memorial Square as a highlight.
"To be able to contribute to a project that involved a piece of land that has a 200-year history, to highlight that history and yet build it such that it can represent the next 200 years, has been amazing to be part of," he said.
Stevens started with the BIA in 2005 and oversaw many changes to the downtown.
He also cited his involvement with the outdoor patio program and the ongoing Dunlop Street overhaul as some of his memorable moments with the business association.
Stevens is also on the Ontario BIA Association, which oversees the more than 300 such local organizations in the province.
"I have only few months left in my term as president at OBIAA and if it works for all parties involved, I would love to be able to fulfil my term that ends in April 2020," he added.
As for next steps for the Downtown BIA here in Barrie, that's up to the board members.
"The succession plan that includes both how and when is up to the BIA Board of Directors," Stevens said.
