BDIA celebrates passion and partnership

Downtown Belleville Improvement Area director Mike Malachowski (left) presents the Most Passionate Award to contractor Zubin Gillespie at the DBIA’s annual meeting on Wednesday. Photo by Candice-Rose Gagnon

By Candice-Rose Gagnon

BELLEVILLE – Who has the most passion in downtown Belleville? According to the Belleville Downtown Improvement Area, it is contractor Zubin Gillespie.

“This was the first thing I have ever won!” says Gillespie after he was awarded the BDIA’s Most Passionate Award on Wednesday night. Karen Poste, economic and strategic initiatives manager for the city of Belleville, was presented with the BDIA Partnership Award.

The two awards were given at the annual general meeting of the BDIA at the Build Belleville Project Centre downtown. The meeting also included a board of directors election, which coincided with the municipal-election year.

Ten directors were elected, including four new directors who have never held the volunteer position before.

Jim Sanders from Plug N Playland, Gita Vadhera from Roluf’s, Amber Hardy from Exclusive Invites and Juliet de Wal from Sweet Escape Cafe are newly elected directors. 

Returning for another four-year term are Dwane Barratt from Barratt’s Office Pro, Richard Courneyea from the clothing store Richard Davis, Paul Dinkel from Paulo’s and Dinkel’s restaurants, Edie Haslauer from Century 21,  Mike Malachowski from the Funk & Gruven antique shop, and Debbie van Luven from Black Line Bookkeeping.

Edie Hauslauer, who was the BDIA chair for 2013-14, was re-elected as a director on Wednesday. Hauslauer stressed the importance of BDIA directors and the role they play in communities like Belleville.

“The backbone of our country is small businesses,” said Hauslauer. The BDIA board works closely with the city to improve the downtown core and attract more businesses to the area, she noted.

The meeting also included a presentation by the Build Belleville committee. It included an overview of plans for the infrastructure and beautification work that may start as early as next year.