06/04/2026
I have gone back and forth about posting this, but after a lot of thought, I think itās important.
First of all, I love Midland.
I love our downtown.
I love the Butter Tart Festival.
I think it is one of the best things that happens in our community all year. It brings people from all over Ontario, puts Midland on the map, and showcases everything that makes our town special.
This is not a post against the Butter Tart Festival.
This is not a post against safety.
And this is not a post against the people who work hard to organize these events.
I completely understand that an event with 70,000 people needs rules, planning, and safety measures.
What I donāt understand is why it so often feels like the businesses that are here every single day are the last people consulted when decisions are being made about downtown.
A few months ago, we were told we wouldnāt be allowed to have our patios out until after the festival.
Honestly, I was heartbroken. It felt so cruel.
Not because I wanted special treatment.
Not because I donāt understand safety concerns.
But because while other restaurants around town were celebrating the start of patio season, downtown businesses were being told to wait. We were told our patio wasnt wanted during the festival.ļæ¼
For a restaurant, a patio isnāt just a few tables and chairs.
Itās visibility.
Itās atmosphere.
Itās revenue.
Itās jobs.
Itās one of the things that helps get us through the slower months.
After a lot of conversations and advocacy, a compromise was reached that allowed temporary patios leading up to festival week, and I appreciate everyone who worked to make that happen.
But once festival week begins, those patios still have to come down.
And thatās where I keep coming back to the same question:
Why does it feel like the businesses that are here 365 days a year arenāt being treated like a priority?
I understand vendors are important.
I understand logistics are important.
I understand safety is important.
But the businesses that pay rent here, employ people here, sponsor local teams, donate to local fundraisers, shovel sidewalks in January, and keep their doors open all winter long should matter too.
Weāre not here for one weekend.
Weāre here every day.
When the festival is over, weāre still here.
When the tourists go home, weāre still here.
When itās February and thereās a snowstorm outside, weāre still here.
I think thatās why this has been so frustrating for me.
Itās not really about patios.
Itās not really about tables and chairs.
Itās about feeling like downtown businesses should have a meaningful seat at the table before decisions are made, not after.
Itās about feeling like the people who have invested their lives, savings, energy, and hearts into this downtown should be viewed as partners.
I recently resigned from the Downtown Midland BIA. I am exausted from fighting for something that I shouldnāt have to be fighting for in the first place.ļæ¼
That wasnāt an easy decision.
I care deeply about this downtown and the people in it.
I still believe Midland can have an incredible Butter Tart Festival, thriving local businesses, and a strong relationship between the Town and the businesses that call downtown home.
But I think we get there by working together.
By communicating EARLIER.
By listening more.
And by recognizing that the businesses that keep this downtown alive year round should be treated as one of the most important stakeholders in the conversation.
Because at the end of the day, downtown isnāt the street.
Downtown is the people who show up every morning, unlock their doors, turn on the lights, and choose to keep BELEIVING in Midland.
And I think those people deserve to be heard!
What made this even more difficult was the timing.
The patio decision wasnāt communicated years in advance or even a full season in advance.
Downtown businesses were informed only a few months before the festival that patio season would be delayed until after the event.
Then, only weeks before the festival, businesses were told they would need to submit detailed drawings and plans showing exactly what they intended to place in front of their businesses during the event. ITS ONE WEEK TO THE FESTIVAL AND WE ARE ALL SCRAMBLING!!
As a business owner, thatās incredibly stressful.
Most of us donāt have planners, architects, consultants, or administrative staff.
We are owners trying to run our businesses, manage staff, pay bills, order inventory, serve customers, and somehow navigate major operational changes with very little notice.
Thatās where a lot of the frustration comes from.
Not because rules exist.
Not because safety matters.
But because many of these conversations are happening at the last minute, leaving businesses scrambling to adapt.
Thank you for caring and thank you for listening ā¤ļø
Megan
