Downtown marketing committee member Mickey Mayne presented council with the hot-off-the-press glossy brochure Monday. The committee, a sub-committee of the BIA, is aggressively trying to attract more people to "shop, dine, explore" downtown Port Colborne.

The committee's first goal when it met two months ago was to promote downtown as a destination, Mayne said.

"The idea is to reach people and get them to come to downtown Port Colborne," Mayne said. "We want to let people know that Port Colborne has a downtown."

The brochure contains glossy photos of various shops in the West Street area, an events calendar, brief history and map pointing out places of interest in the downtown core. There is also a directory of 65 places to shop, eat or explore while visiting Port Colborne.

"It's time we let everyone know what we have," Mayne said.

While the brochure includes the names and locations of 65 businesses, Mayne said there are about 150 businesses in the downtown area.

To go along with the brochure the committee has also launched a website, www.downtownportcolborne.com. But the promotion doesn't stop there.

"I bet you are asking yourselves, how can we help?" Mayne told councillors.

Mayne outlined the committees 3P partnership -- philosophy, print and physical.

On the philosophy side the committee is hoping the city buys into the campaign. She wants councillors to become downtown ambassadors.

The second "p" refers to the city allowing the brochure to be on display next to other Port Colborne publications and to include the downtown area in future publications.

The third "p" is the physical -- the need for proper signage directing people to the downtown.

"We need to identify downtown," she said. "When people come into Port Colborne they come in on Main Street. We need signs directing them to downtown."

Mayor Vance Badawey called Port Colborne's downtown an anomoly compared to most downtown areas in the province.

"We have an active and vibrant downtown," the mayor said. "It feels good to be downtown."

He said the committee has 100 per cent support from city hall for this project.

"We know people leave Port Colborne to shop in Welland or St. Catharines," Mayne said. "If we can get the equivalent to come here, we have succeeded."