The Bronte Forward! engagement process has wrapped after 800 survey responses, dozens of interviews, focus groups, and two workshops with over 100 in attendance. The stories and feedback we’ve collected have been captured in the new vision document.
Bronte Forward! was a community-wide campaign to capture what people value most about and aspire for Bronte Village. It was an opportunity for residents, business owners, employees, and visitors of all ages and backgrounds to shape the future of Bronte. We wanted to know what people care about most when it comes to creating a thriving waterfront community that is both a cherished destination and a place people call home. What would Bronte look and feel like at its very best? What would make you love it here even more?
Bronte Forward! was led by the Bronte BIA. Thank you for being part of the process. We look forward to working together over the coming months and years.
Maureen Healey
Executive Director, Bronte BIA
T: 905-825-3258
Bronte Forward! provided a platform for our community to paint a holistic picture of who we are, what we care about, and what we aspire to be. The vision of Bronte as a vibrant community where everyone is welcomed and everything you need is here highlights a set of core community values that will guide local advocacy work and future planning in our growing community.
Throughout the engagement, we heard the community sing the praises of the waterfront, and of the unique local businesses. We also heard of opportunities to encourage family-friendly programming, more sidewalk cafes, music performances and farmer’s markets, as well as improved parking management.
All the stories and ideas have been collected and distilled into A Visioning Strategy for Bronte Village.
Bronte has experienced significant change over the years. Originally the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the waterway was used for thousands of years by indigenous inhabitants as a means of transportation, source of agriculture, hunting and fishing for sustenance and commerce. European settler-colonizers founded the fishing village of Bronte in 1834, and 22 years later Bronte Harbour was completed where the Twelve Mile Creek met the vast waters of Lake Ontario. Today, Bronte Village is home to over 10,000 residents, 200 businesses, and a beloved recreational harbour.
The driver behind the Bronte Forward! process was the acknowledgement that Bronte is evolving. Instead of letting change wash over us or opposing inevitable growth and intensification, we must collectively decide what it is that makes Bronte special, then play our part marketing and influencing the dream of what Bronte will look, feel, taste and smell like for years to come.
First, we’ll loop back to all the engagement participants to share the results.
Second, we’ll connect with our stakeholders, like the Town of Oakville, to share the results, reaffirm our alignment with municipal priorities, and explore opportunities to work together. We’ll also share the vision with potential partners, like developers, property owners and businesses looking to establish themselves in Bronte.
Third, the BIA will use all the input to create a new three-year (2022-2024) strategic plan that will guide and focus the association’s work.
Last, we’ll look to implement quickly a few action items coming out of the vision to get the ball rolling.
