Two of Waterloo’s biggest retail organizations are getting a special gift this holiday season.
City councillors voted Monday night to give $2,500 to the Uptown Waterloo BIA, and the same amount to Conestoga Mall.
There’s only one catch: The money must be spent on advertising.
Mayor Dave Jaworsky describes it as a way to lessen the pain retailers have been feeling from the busy construction season, and attract more shoppers.
“I think it’s important for all businesses to get out there and promote themselves,” he said in an interview.
Coun. Bob Mavin says he “fully supports” giving money to the BIA, but isn’t so sure the mall’s corporate owners are deserving of the funding.
“They’re a good corporate citizen … but the bottom line is (that) they’re a private corporation,” he told CTV News.
“There’s probably many businesses right now, in the private sector outside of the uptown, that are being impacted by the LRT (construction).”
It’s not clear if the mall has actually lost business due to the construction taking place on King Street.
In addition to the $5,000, councillors voted to approve free parking on the first level of the Uptown Parkade for the rest of 2015.
