Submitted by Tina Stewart
Executive director, Abbotsford Downtown Business Association
Calling all UFV students! Historic Downtown Abbotsford has a new program that is specifically aimed at saving you money.
I know I’ve been there, struggling student trying to make ends meet. We have joined forces with the UFV Student Union Society to create a Downtown Abbotsford U-Pass Program. Look for the “I’m a U-Pass Participant” sticker on the window of participating businesses and ask them what sort of deal they have for you.
Participating merchants are offering discounts to U-Pass carriers who present their card at the time of purchase. We currently have 27 businesses taking part. Hop on the bus and head Downtown to grab lunch or dinner, purchase your supplies, books, gifts and sportswear. We are a short 10-minute bus trip from UFV Abbotsford.
Participating businesses include:
Abbotsford Banquet Centre, A&D Music, Agape Bridal, Black Pearl Beauty Loft, Big Foot Moccasin, Bikram Yoga, Champion Jack’s Emporium, Cool Clear Optical, Core Fitness and Rehab, Drinx Café & Juice Bar, Fusion Hair Design, Hemingway’s New and Used Books, Jazz-ma-Tazz Dance and Costume, Ladyfern Athletics, Legal Grounds Coffeehouse, The Loft Hair Studio and Beauty Bar, Mac & Mango, Neat Freakz, New Passage to India, Olde Towne Bakery, PAPER NATION Stationery and Gifts, Precious Kargo, ProOne Uniforms, RDM Lawyers, Replay Boardshop, Roasted Grape Café, Soda Shoppe Skates and Zeeba’s Hair & Body Image.
We will be taking part in the province wide “Turn Down the Heat” week from February 2-9. We are committed to this two part endeavor to promote energy conservation and collect sweaters for those less fortunate in our community.
Our merchants will be turning down their heat, wearing a snuggly sweater to work and asking you to do the same. We will also have collection bins available at each of the participating businesses to encourage our customers to donate their gently used sweaters. These sweaters will be donated to the Abbotsford Salvation Army to distribute to those in need.
We would like to thank the Abbotsford Heat for their participation in this event; we’ll turn down our heat while they turn up theirs at the AESC.
Participating businesses are Agape Bridal, Abbotsford Banquet Centre, Valley Proactive Orthotics, Legal Grounds Coffee House, Strung Out on Beads, Formaggio Fine Foods, The Loft Hair Studio and Beauty Bar, The Roasted Grape Café, Birkeland Bros. Wool, Launch Menswear, Champion Jack’s Emporium, Mitch Miller’s, Neat Freakz, Tracycakes Bakery Café, A&D Music and Soda Shoppe Skates. Of course for a little incentive we will be having a little friendly competition in our Downtown to see who can collect the most sweaters! Will your favourite merchant or restaurant win? With your help they will; drop your sweater off to help them out.
14 other downtowns in BC will be participating; let’s reach our goal of 250 sweaters and show them that Abbotsford cares about our environment and our community.