Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to everyone. Looking forward to another exciting year in 2017!

(Please note the BIA office will be closed over the holidays for some much needed  R&R – see you in January!)

The Riverside BIA has had another busy year of promoting and continuing to put Riverside, Toronto on the map. A big thank you to the BIA’s Board of Directors, BIA office staff, Committee members (Marketing, Streetscape, Planning), BIA businesses and the many, many volunteer hours that have been contributed to make the Riverside community shine! We’re happy to share some key accomplishments that we can all be proud of from the past year:

*Riverside BIA increased the neighbourhood’s reach by leveraging strategic partnerships, sponsorships, grants and in-kind support to the tune of nearly $100,000.

*Thank you to our 2016 key sponsors: City of Toronto; Team Sheppard Re/Max (2016 Riverside Walks Sponsor); Streetcar Developments, Hullmark, Downtown Automotive Group (2016 Riverside Eats & Beats Streetfest sponsors); Baird MacGregor Insurance Brokers LP (2016 Light Up Riverside Sponsor). Big thanks to the Government of Canada which has awarded the Riverside BIA with a Canada 150 grant (to be used toward our exciting 2017 mural – more news to come in the new year!).

*Big thanks to our in-kind supporters the Ralph Thornton Centre (in-kind space, equipment and staff time); Chef Scott Savoie (in-kind food tours, culinary demos, event support); Metroland Media (media sponsorship of Eats & Beats); STEPS Initiative (paint supplies for Riverside Pollinator Mural); GOODHOOD (local blog promos); Ontario wineries (Riverside Winefest); OX Agency (website support).

*We are proud to have mentored six interns in the BIA office through partnerships with George Brown College, Employment Services, York University, and CSJ. We are also so grateful to the over 80 volunteers, many from George Brown School of ESL, who have helped make Riverside’s 2016 events a success!

*We’ve developed on-going value-added community partnerships, with special rates for BIA members where applicable (e.g. Zipcar, Car2Go, Uber, Jane’s Walk, Staples, Tourism Toronto, The Bulletin, Snap’d, Metroland Media, GOODHOOD, Doors Open Toronto)

*Strong partnerships have continued with the Good Food Market (which grew in 2015-16 into two successful Riverside Markets), the Rivertowne Breakfast Program (our charitable cause in 2016/17), Les Clefs D’Or, the Artists’ Network (Riverdale Artwalk), and Queen Street East BIAs (Leslieville and The Beach Village). In 2016, we also partnered with the Beaches International Jazz Festival to host the inaugural “Sounds of Leslieville & Riverside” live music event, which will be back in 2017!

Collage of Eats & Beats – Successful thanks to sponsorship funds leveraged

*’Riverside Walks’: Shifted gears to spread the success of Riverside walking tours throughout the calendar year by running ‘Riverside Walks’ monthly from May – October. In 2016, the BIA hosted 14 guided walks on 9 different topics, and brought nearly 600 people to the neighbourhood and into Riverside businesses

*’Light Up Riverside /Shop the Neighbourhood’: Held the annual community tree lighting event sponsored by Baird & McGregor, which brought 100 community members together, despite being rained out. Combined with the ‘Shop the Neighbourhood’ this event won Riverside the Innovative Event Award (2015) from TABIA and Yellow Pages.

*’Riverside Antler Breakfast’: Partnered with Chef Scott Savoie of Toronto Food Tours, the Ralph Thornton Centre, and Rivertowne Safety 1st Group to host the highest attended of this 5th annual event (final $$ raised for the Rivertowne Breakfast Program to be announced in the new year!).

*’Riverside Winefest 2016′: ran an overwhelmingly successful second year which brought over 1,000 people to 21 different events at restaurants, retailers, and community centres.  Engaged with 35 different wineries from across Ontario.

*’Riverside Eats & Beats Streetfest 2016′: drew over 10,000 people to Riverside and 50 participating community vendors, BIA businesses and musicians.

Riverside Coffee Culture Walk – successful thanks to participating businesses

Riverside 2016 Pollinator mural

Riverside Bridge being used as an impromptu stage for the Blackout Anniversary