Donna Brothwell is the new Executive Director of YBID. She'll be taking over from the venerable Phil deVos. Brothwell says she has a number of years working in retail, and says that this background, combined with some of her family members who have had some business experience, will allow her to “breathe new life” into the role of Director using the “power of positivity”.
Yorkton This Week sat down with Brothwell to discuss her thoughts on what she plans to bring to the role at the Yorkton Business Improvement District moving forward, and what challenges, opportunities and thoughts she has moving forward.
“I wasn't really born here, but I was raised here,” said Brothwell.
“Yorkton is my home; my community. Grown up here, married here. Had children here. My child, basically. He's raising his family here. Yorkton to me is more than just work and career. It's a great place to raise your family and I'm very invested in it. My father came to Yorkton because he was transferred here. Then he bought in with Parkland Tire, and we've been a family business since his retirement, oh, maybe about five years ago. But for myself, although the business kept us going, I had a slight hand in business as well. I branched off – it was a family business – not really a 'girl thing' for me to do at the time – so I branched off and did my own thing.”
That 'thing' was a new certification.
“I got a one year business certificate from Parkland College. I graduated, as well, from the Yorkton Regional High School. I took my education and my one year business as I raised my baby.
“My longest career was probably with The Bay.”
The timing was fortuitous.
“I did leave to be the executive director before the Bay closed down of the Chamber of Commerce, so I did get that job. So that's about where my history with the business world is [in Yorkton]. I think that's where my business knowledge takes off because people know me from the Chamber. To this day, I took a bit of time away, but I still am a Director. I have one more year as an elected director there. I've always been involved in the community, though. More so than just work. There's also the volunteer stuff that I do, like right now I sit on the city's Parks and Recreation Committee. I also sit on the reconciliation committee. I keep my nose close to the business world and always have.”
When asked about what she hoped to bring from this experience to YBID, Brothwell thought for a moment.
“I think we need to start focussing on the economic development side, just filling the empty businesses that are open downtown. We have a few open business [spaces], in particular, and it would be nice to see them filled up. I would like, and I'm going to, meet with the economic development team from the city and see where business is, and see how we can partner with that to bring that about. When people start opening their businesses downtown, or anywhere really in the Yorkton area, people start wanting to visit them.”
Brothwell offered some theories as to the reasons for all the empty space.
“Even with the housing market, [commercially] we're seeing a little bit of a down trend, and so rents are not moving. We need to really focus on opportunities that bring people and want to empty their businesses in those empty spots – maybe some incentives to fix up the building so that they look pretty, so people want to use their storefront. We can encourage businesses to take care of these buildings so that they can open up.”
Also on the agenda is tackling the sensitive issue of ensuring commercial rents are in line with what the market will bear.
“I think that when you own a business, in your mind you have an idea of a price you think it's going to be worth. Now you have to take into consideration where the market is today, and sometimes in those owner's minds that's not [always] taken into consideration. They need to listen to the realtors. They need to listen to what the market is doing for the day, and they need to – as in everybody – when doing renovations – spruce up their buildings really great so people want to rent those spaces out. They'll get their price if the market is willing.
“I do believe that some of these building owners have owned these buildings for a very long time, and they might not have as much – you know, if they miss out on a rent here and there, it's not as crucial as someone who's just bought a new building and has a huge mortgage payment. So when you think of it in that market, in that world, they want their price. And they're not moving, and they're not budging until they get their price. So education is a key component. I myself renovate homes. And I've, over the past 10 years done about six of them, so we're fixing up Yorkton one house at a time. We understand that the market isn't where it needs to be. What is definitely helpful, when it comes into the educating the other property owners is I can take property values. There's going to be other buildings in the area [showing] what they sold for, and what they could sell for now. What realtors would think. I might even have ones with a realtor there, and I've heard of meetings with realtors, and bankers, and people who are really in tune with where the market is and what the building will sell for. I'd invite the property owners to a meeting like that. They would really get to see the clear picture by talking to the experts.”
Of the mood of the business community in Yorkton, Brothwell is candid. “Still getting the feel of it. I've heard from the businesses and the business owners I've been talking to because I do all my shopping – 99% of my shopping locally – and I think most of the people I've been talking to have been excited to see some changes in YBID which is good news. I'm not taking anything away from the past – the team has done a great job. I've got big shoes to fill. We're hopefully moving forward with a positive attitude, and some of the businesses owners are maybe excited to see some of that positivity in the role.”
