The Downtown Welland BIA is looking for some green to Go Green.

That's after city council turned down its funding request for the BIA's inaugural summer party.

Go Green on Bridge 13 - an environmentally-friendly celebration that will see Main Street Bridge covered in sod - is set for Aug. 10.

The BIA had hoped the city would waiving $4,500 in fees required for garbage cans, picnic tables and benches, as well as staff time associated with getting the equipment in place.

Another $1,500 is needed to pay Niagara Region to close the bridge for the day.

The total cost to put on the event is between $15,000 and $25,000, said BIA executive director Amanda MacDonald, noting a large percentage of this amount is to come from in-kind donations.

"We don't do anything to make a profit. Everything we do is to support our downtown," she said.

Young Sod Farms in Fenwick has agreed to donate $12,000 worth of turf for the event, which will then be taken to the property of a Welland resident in need of yard improvements.

Kelly Jones, chair of the BIA, said his organization isn't upset with the city for denying its request - but it is in need of action from a local business or group very soon.

"We'll just have to lean on the community and get sponsorship."

"As a non-profit organization, sometimes we have to be creative if things don't go our way," said Jones, who is manager of Employment Solutions on Main Street East.

"We have the talent and initiative to do it on our own," he added.

There are 326 businesses under the Downtown Welland BIA's umbrella, representing approximately 4,000 jobs.

The municipality provides the downtown BIA with a $40,000 contract for its annual Concerts on the Canal series, which includes a maximum of $25,000 worth of in-kind donations. The remainder comes in the form of money for other expenses.

For Canada Day celebrations, the BIA spends more than $12,000 to co-host the event with the city.

Leslie Robichaud, beautification chair for the BIA, said thGo Green should be exciting - if everything falls into place.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

"Hopefully we can get what we need to get it started," she said.

Come Alive Outside, the group that will help co-ordinate the laying of sod on the bridge, was part of a similar event in Pelham in 2017. Feast Street, an event the BIA hosted in 2017 and 2018, will not take place this year due to "recent challenges and agency capacity, implementation of new vendor bylaws, and the growing popularity of food festivals in the region and southern Ontario resulting in market saturation," the BIA said in a statement.