With an initial 52 to 25 vote cast in favour at an early July public meeting, business owners along Bayview Avenue are moving toward establishing their own business improvement area (BIA).

Proposed to run from Parkhurst Boulevard to Davisville Avenue along Bayview Avenue, there’s a little friendly Hatfield-McCoy rivalry with the street’s yellow line the divider.

To the west, Davisville businesses want to ensure their neighbourhood is reflected in the name, while to the east, Leaside members hope the same, all the while trying to juggle a name that simply isn’t too long to market properly.

“For this [a BIA] to work best, branding is extremely important,” said Source Menswear owner and BIA steering committee co-chair Grant Allardyce. “The steering committee had liked the idea of the Bayview-Leaside BIA but there are concerns it doesn’t represent the whole [BIA] area.

“In the end, I don’t care a whole lot about what it’s called, but a BIA has a voice, and it’s important the name reflect that voice. It just can’t be too wordy,” he added, saying the approximately 130 businesses that would be involved will benefit greatly from the marketing and branding power of a BIA as well as the other services it can provide.

“What we can see out of a BIA is trying to build Bayview back to its glory days, something the business owners and shoppers can be proud of,” he said, explaining that there are currently about 13 store vacancies along that stretch that a BIA could help fill as well as dealing with issues like streetscape beautification and graffiti removal for the benefit of all.

With the initial vote of support and Toronto City Council’s backing, the BIA issue will head to an official vote later this year with each of the businesses in the boundaries getting a ballot. At least 30 per cent of the eligible businesses must vote, and at least 50 per cent plus one vote must vote in favour for it to pass its final test.