An update from Kara Alnasrawi, Committee Chair, on the work of the Downtown Action Group:

The Downtown Action Group (DAG) has had several very well attended meetings in the past few months. The group has been focused on continuing to help create a safe, welcoming and attractive downtown for residents and tourists alike.

We have been in contact with the Burlington Police Department and Members of the City Council to discuss initiatives that would make our downtown more pedestrian friendly, safer and more inviting.

DAG has created a hotmap of security cameras in the downtown to assist law enforcement and to recognize gaps in our video coverage. We hope that this will help to decrease retail theft and to create a safer environment for shoppers and diners.

DAG will be officially launching an “Adopt Your Sidewalk” campaign to encourage business owners to keep the sidewalk in front of their establishments clean and inviting. This includes picking up trash, planting flowers and taking care of trees. Though many business owners have already signed up and are working hard to keep their sidewalks clean, the official launch of the initiative will be in the spring to coincide with Vermont’s Green-up Day.

DAG continues to have a long-term goal of collecting data (info, photos, videos of problematic behavior in the downtown) so that the business community can further the discourse with lawmakers to help ensure a safer and more welcoming downtown.

The Downtown Action Group meets on the first Friday morning of each month. If you would like to learn more or are interested in joining this committee, please contact BBA’s Member Services & Events Manager, Sarah O Donnell.