From farmers’ markets and festivals to a building explosion that has left a lasting impact, it was a year to remember for Downtown Prince George.
In a year-in-review interview with My PG Now, Colleen Van Mook, the Executive Director of Downtown PG, said 2023 was “really the year we feel we are coming back” from the pandemic.
Downtown Winterfest was held in February, one of the last annual events to return from the pandemic fully.
“We lucked out in terms of weather on that particular day,” she remembered. “It wasn’t too cold, but we had enough snow to make it a winter playground… we saw lots of happy faces.”
Summerfest Saturdays, Foodie Fridays, farmers markets, and plenty of single-day events were also held downtown this year in the warmer months.
Van Mook explained a “thriving, open for business” downtown helped them successfully hold these events.
“We enjoyed hosting more days in more ways, and look forward to doing that in the future,” she said.
Fallfest and Plaid Friday were both considered successes in the year’s later months – Van Mook said businesses reported a tangible increase in business on Plaid Friday year-over-year, indicating it is catching on.
“All in all, it was a fast year but we really feel we have our momentum back,” Van Mook said. “A lot of our businesses put on their own events [too.]”
It was not all positives this year, however, and this is headlined by the building that exploded on Dominion Street.
“It was quite frightening for everyone that experienced it, heard about it, or are still talking about it,” she said. “Definitely what we would call a catastrophe.”
The impacts were felt for several blocks, according to Van Mook windows were blown out well beyond the immediate area.
“As much as it was very tragic and there were injuries that we all feel very bad about… it could have been a lot worse if it happened at a different time of day,” she said. “Having said that, many businesses are still trying to recover from that.”
For some that is getting custom glass for oddly-shaped windows, for others more nearby like Heartbreakers or the UNBC Wood Innovation Research Lab, it will still be months before repairs are complete and people are allowed back inside.
Van Mook estimates around 20 different businesses were impacted – some of which share properties with one another.
“It is not behind us, I would not describe it that way,” Van Mook said. “There are still people dealing with insurance companies and waiting for product to come in to repair and replace the damage… and frankly, we still see the pile of rubble where the explosion happened.”
According to the RCMP, the explosion was caused by suspected copper pipe theft.
Homelessness is an ever-present issue in downtown Prince George as well.
“There is no doubt that since the pandemic we have seen an increase in people on our streets,” Van Mook said. “We see the results of the mental health and addiction issues where people need more support and help… but that is not our expertise as downtown Prince George.”
Downtown PG’s expertise more surrounds vandalism and crime, which she said both seem to be up.
In 2021, she said it got to the point where Downtown PG created a broken window grant “because we started to see our businesses becoming victims of that kind of vandalism.”
In the fall, the city made the controversial call to remove the encampment in Millennium Park on First Avenue.
Van Mook said there was mixed reaction to the move from business owners, saying businesses in the direct vicinity may have noticed a decrease in people on the street and garbage, but that a lot of it was dispersed around the rest of downtown.
“There are still people looking for places to be, so there continues to be a lot of different places where people are looking for shelter – it has spread itself out,” she said. “We are seeing people shelter in various locations downtown.”
The only place people are legally allowed to shelter overnight is in Moccasin Flats.
As a whole, Van Mook said she likes to remind people that “If think of [downtown] in terms of a mall, we have a pool, an art gallery, a library, over 70 retail shops and over 30 restaurants and cafes. Downtown Prince George has a lot to offer.”