The Downtown St. John’s Facade Improvement Program provides financial assistance to business owners located within the Business Improvement Area (BIA) to improve the appearance, design, and function of commercial buildings.. Painting, exterior cleaning, new signage, lighting, restoration of unique architectural features are all eligible for funding for qualifying applicants.
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Having a special event downtown? Hosting a conference? You may be interested in participating in the Downtown St. John’s Banner program, which offers over 200 pole-mounted banner arms throughout downtown.
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In 2020 Downtown St. John’s began expanding its outdoor street furniture program. Locally made, brightly coloured chairs, benches and pub-style tables were distributed throughout the area for visitors to sit and rest while enjoying a beverage, having a chat or just watching people go by!
Annual directory of Downtown St. John’s Businesses & Attractions
Each year Downtown St. John’s prints over 80,000 copies of the Downtown Pocket Guide, which lists the businesses and services available downtown. It also features a map, points of interest, and special events happening every year!
The Annual Downtown St. John’s Pocket Guide is available at visitor information centres, hotels, and most downtown shops and services. It’s also distributed directly to visiting cruise ship passengers and conference delegates.
Download the Pocket Guide here[LINK TO POCKET GUIDE PAGE] or contact us to learn more.
Every winter, a stroll through downtown at night to check out our beautiful Christmas and seasonal lighting. You’ll find beautiful stars, shooting traps, and wrapped lights around poles throughout the area, as well as twinkling lights in the trees around Prince Edward Plaza on Duckworth Street and George Street. We plan to grow our downtown lighting annually, so be sure to check it out as we Light Up Downtown!
Every December, you can find ten beautiful 10-foot Christmas trees throughout downtown. The metal structures of the trees are locally made and then beautifully decorated by Downtown St. John’s staff and spirited volunteers! Be on the lookout this upcoming Christmas season as ten more trees will be made and distributed throughout the area!
Recently, three open space projects were completed in the downtown core. The cost of these three projects was $800,000.00, with Downtown St. John’s contribution at $240,000.00. The other partners in the open space projects included the City of St. John’s, ACOA, Grand Concourse, and Fortis Properties (Fortis for the Prescott St. project only).
Since it was completed, the Prescott Street project has been embellished and renamed Angel’s Corner. Angel’s Corner draws attention to preventing violence against women, and it was a collaborative initiative between Downtown St. John’s, City of St. John’s, Government of NL, and the Nunatsiavut Government. The cost of this project was $252,500.
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Look for the Trolley Stop (sign) at Signal Hill National Historic Site, The Johnson Geo Centre, The Commissariat Provincial Historic Site, The Rooms, The Newman Wine Vaults, Provincial Historic Sites, The Railway Coastal Museum, Water Street, and The City of St. John’s Visitor Centre on Water St.
Priced at $5 a day for an individual and $20 a day for a family this trolley service provides accessibility to the Downtown St. John’s core.
Thanks to the Open Spaces project, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Memorial Parkette has a new stone wall with a wrought iron fence, brick work, furniture, landscaping, and the centerpiece is a bronze statue of an RNC officer in period clothing holding a lantern and leading a lost girl to safety. The park was opened by the Governor General of Canada and was part of the Freedom of the City Ceremony given to the RNC. The cost of this project was $335,000
The Open Spaces project brought new brick, lighting, furniture, stone walls, and landscaping to the Queen Street Parkette, revitalizing the New Gower Street area. The cost of this project was $212,500.
In 1994, Duckworth Street from Prescott Street east to Cochrane Street, north and south sides redone with new concrete, bands of paving stones, installation of trees, planters, and decorative garbage receptacles. The total investment for this portion of the Revitalization Program was $300,000.
In 1995, Water Street (Beck’s Cove east to Prescott Street south; and Beck’s Cove east to Solomon’s Lane north) was upgraded with new concrete, bands of paving stones, and installation of underground electrical conduit. This portion of revitalization was $300,000.
In 1997, Downtown St. John’s invested $28,000 into outdoor street furniture. City Council agreed to direct $14,000.00 in surplus from 1996 toward this purchase. In addition, $40,000.00 of new decorative garbage containers, benches, and outdoor flower planters were purchased for placement throughout the downtown.
In 1998, Water Street (from Queen Street east to Prescott Street; both sides) had 50 new decorative lamp poles installed, as well as, traffic poles at intersections. The investment of this portion of the program was $440,000.
In 1999, we installed new concrete bands of paving stones, underground electrical conduit, and decorative lights poles on George Street (from Adelaide Street to Queen Street, both sides). Solomon’s Lane was also upgraded with new steps and walkway, decorative lighting, paving stones, and decorative railing. Water Street (from Prescott Street east to War Memorial, north side) saw new concrete, paving stones, underground conduit, and decorative light poles. The total cost was $161,000.