The DBIA
What is the DBIA?
The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is a non-profit organization that champions the continuing commercial development of the Peterborough downtown. We partner with businesses and advocate on their behalf. We are a group of entrepreneurs and visionaries who live and work in the downtown core and represent the members of this community.
Our goals are bold and ambitious, and we get things done. We dedicate our time to understanding the complexities of local issues and we build strong partnerships for the mutual benefit of local enterprises and the Peterborough community. We are your passionate and informed voice for diverse social issues that impact our core.
Message from Michael Gallant, Chairperson
Peterborough’s downtown community has shown perseverance, resiliency and generosity.
The DBIA and its board are honoured to represent a membership of dedicated and passionate people and businesses. It is truly inspiring.
We have so much to look forward to as our community continues to grow. A new urban park will allow us to meet, play and celebrate in ways that we’ve not been able to before. Many new developments will bring more people living in the downtown, to enjoy and enhance everything that we love about this place. We will build on this momentum to envision and ensure a central area that is safe, dynamic, inviting and full of life. Our downtown carries our culture, our history and our collective vision for the future of our City.
Our Team
Terry Guiel
Terry was hired as the executive director of the DBIA in 2013. As a former City Councillor he comes with a wealth of knowledge in how a city operates. With a background as a legal assistant and a professional event organizer and entertainer, Terry brings a unique and diverse skill set to his role. Terry has served on over 40 boards and committees over the years and was elected to the Ontario Business Improvement Area Association (OBIAA ) board of directors in 2020. He is a three-time Community Betterment Award recipient and has led Peterborough’s BIA to multiple OBIAA Awards.
Dawn Pond
Dawn manages the DBIA’s Downtown Vibrancy Projects that aim to rejuvenate under-utilized spaces in our downtown through community participation and partnerships with local organizations, such as GreenUP. Dawn has a Masters in Pollination Biology from the University of Manitoba and a B.Sc. degree in Plant and Soil Science from the University of Aberdeen. She has several years of experience managing research projects, speaker series, art workshops, and Depave Paradise projects. She puts her experience with botany and art to use through the Downtown Vibrancy Project. Her passion lies in creating environmentally resilient and beautiful green spaces in challenging urban environments.
Hillary Flood
Hillary grew up just outside the downtown of Peterborough and has dedicated her career to enhancing the livability and vibrancy of her hometown. Working primarily in the non-profit sector Hillary has managed a number of high-profile projects including Peterborough Pulse, 100in1Day, Bike-Friendly Business, and Win this Space. Hillary brings to the team a love for all things Peterborough and a unique community-based lens to the role of Communications and Marketing Manager.Board of Directors
Michael Gallant
Tegan Moss
Sacha Lai-Svirk
Brad Collyer
Jean Grant
Michael Cherney
Kemi Akapo
Susan Tung
Brianna Salmon
Tracie Bertrand
Scott Murison
Laura Montague
Judy Byrne
Downtown Boundaries
Peterborough is an amazing community to live and work in. A vibrant downtown is surrounded by a central area next to the beautiful Otonabee River on the Trent Severn waterway. The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area is roughly located within the following boundaries: West to Bethune Street, East to the Otonabee River, North to Murray Street, and South to Dalhousie Street.
