Truro Development Corporation Limited

It’s hard to imagine a downtown Truro without stalwarts like Margolians. The venerable 82-year-old department store is like a permanent anchor in the historic Nova Scotia hub town. Sound a little seasoned compared to certain chain stores? Some of Margolians’ other retail neighbours have also been around for decades. But that’s a good thing.

Too close to Halifax and New Glasgow to attract the big-box retailers, Truro must rely on its downtown core in a way that other centres don’t. That presents both a challenge and an opportunity.

Truro resident Jon Keddy notes that big-ticket draws, such as Bayers Lake retail park, are the competition, so the downtown had better make itself unique.

Enter the Downtown Truro Partnership (DTP), which has the daunting task of preserving the past and shaping the future for the organization’s roughly 350 merchant members. In its 30 years of existence, the partnership has seen a lot of changes.

Parking will probably always be an issue, says Partnership president and Margolians Maritime Ltd. vice-president, Mark Sidler, but the focus is on creating a solid identity and unified look. To paraphrase the outfit’s mission statement, the ultimate goal is to promote a unique environment for business and urban living in the heart of Truro.

Sidler says it’s important to have a cohesive voice to lobby government, for example, to maintain older buildings — even if they’re sitting idle for now. Like the Old Normal College on Prince Street, a pre-turn-of-the-century gem that’s been vacant for several years with no immediate use in sight.

“It’s a glorious old building and has great potential. We just don’t have use for it immediately.”

It won’t be long before Truro’s quaint and historic downtown starts to look a little different. The Town, in partnership with the DTP, is busy putting its Master Plan (a 12-year strategy that was hatched three years ago) into place. In conjunction with the Town’s plan, the DTP is also undertaking a new initiative, which could see new facades for approximately 60 buildings that qualify for the enhancement. Of all the measures being undertaken, that one will have the biggest impact, predicts Keddy, who’s optimistic more investment will follow.

Of all people around Truro, Keddy has one of the best opportunities to hear residents’ concerns. He wears a multitude of hats, acting as full-time police officer, Downtown Truro Partnership board member and co-owner of the Old Truro Café, a rustic-style, pine-floor eatery steeped in character.

Keddy already feels a change in the air, owing in part to a no-smoking ban for popular Inglis Place that was implemented in late spring. Newly refurbished in 2007 as part of the Master Plan, Inglis Place is considered a major component of the downtown.

The partnership works closely with the agricultural college, community college, police, Nova Institute and other Truro organizations and landmarks and is working hard to make the downtown a destination. The future looks exciting: a performing arts centre is becoming more established and should act as a nucleus for other businesses, plus there’s talk of using the old fire hall for a new farmers’ market and there may even be a new library for the 20,000-strong community.

“Truro has been very fortunate that the downtown has not suffered the kind of decline that other communities’ downtowns have,” Sidler notes, saying the community has managed to escape the urban sprawl plaguing other centres. Truro’s downtown is also compact, with residences close by and good accessibility.

Partnership executive director Debbie Elliott, who was born and raised in the historic hub town, says downtown occasionally has an empty storefront but they don’t stay empty for long.
Truro Mayor Bill Mills considers the partnership one of the most effective in the province, pointing to the $20 million in commercial, residential and industrial construction taking place around the town this year. That’s double last year’s amount.

He chalks it up to a number of different groups all working together for the same cause, and he says the partnership is a huge component of that. Like many, he sees Nova Scotia as a great place to do business because of the quality of life here – along with a “dynamic” business experience. Not being located in Halifax doesn’t seem to matter, he says, because the players are connected worldwide no matter where in Nova Scotia they’re located.

“Travel today is much different than it was even a few years ago. You can be across the country in five to six hours and anywhere along the Eastern Seaboard in two to three hours. So travel’s not a barrier anymore and combined with the Internet, businesses have a distinct ability to prosper here. We’re open for discussion with businesses interested in locating in Truro. We have a lot to offer.”