CRUISE-IN: Aldergrove businesses spruce up to welcome crowds

Aldergrove Business Association president Jodi Steeves said they are preparing for Cruise-In by cleaning up the downtown core. (Saman Dara/Aldergrove Star) Swipe or click to see more Langley Good Times Cruise-In welcomes more than 100,000 visitors to the Aldergrove downtown area. (Cruise-In) Swipe or click to see more Aldergrove Business Association president Jodi Steeves helped lead efforts to clean up the downtown core ahead of Cruise-In. (Special to Langley Advance Times) Swipe or click to see more The Aldergrove Business Association hopes businesses will participate in Cruise-In events, whether by offering specials or setting up activities outside their stores or restaurants. (Cruise-In) Swipe or click to see more Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Local businesses are getting ready for thousands of visitors to fill Aldergrove streets for the 27th annual Langley Good Times Cruise-In. Aldergrove Business Association (ABA) is working alongside businesses, the Township of Langley, and police to spruce up the downtown core ahead of the huge charity car show. Jodi Steeves, ABA president, said the appearance of the downtown core has been one of the organization's main focuses this year, as they have already taken two walkabouts with Township and local police representatives to identify areas that could use some attention before the arrival of Cruise-In. 'This year we're putting a major focus on the overall appearance and presentation of our downtown core,' Steeves said. Following the walkabouts, the ABA created a checklist that volunteers delivered to businesses for improvements. The ABA has also provided the Township with a list of public areas requesting maintenance work, including broken concrete and painting. 'The intention isn't to criticize anyone, it's to work together and give our downtown a really good refresh before one of Aldergrove's biggest weekends of the year,' Steeves said. Steeves also said that businesses and community members are increasingly recognizing that Aldergrove's appearance is a shared responsibility. 'Many times it's the little things that have the biggest impact such as washing windows, cleaning an awning, removing graffiti, touching up paint, sweeping the sidewalk, or making a small repair.' While Cruise-In provides a motivation and deadline for those improvements, the ABA's goal is for the community to continue benefitting long after the weekend events. Local businesses will also be participating during the weekend by offering specials, setting up tables outside their stores, or finding other ways to interact with Cruise-In spectators. 'Even businesses that don't traditionally benefit directly from a car show can use the event as an opportunity to introduce themselves to people who may never have walked past their storefront before,' Steeves said. Last year, Cruise-In brought about 100,000 visitors — an amount of foot traffic that is difficult for businesses to attract during an ordinary weekend. 'For a small business, having that many potential new customers literally walking past your front door is a huge opportunity,' noted Steeves. 'I hope people come for the incredible cars but leave having discovered something else they love about Aldergrove, maybe a restaurant, a shop, a business, or simply the feeling of our community.' Langley Good Times Cruise-In is a charity car show held in downtown Aldergrove. This year, the event runs Saturday, Sept. 12, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the main drag blocked off and an estimated 1,500 classic, custom, and vintage cars expected to be on display. More information and pre-registration available at Langley Good Times Cruise-In.