Gervais takes reins of Osborne Village BIZ

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This article was published 22/11/2023 (676 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Zohreh Gervais has hosted small concerts on her porch and Dungeons & Dragons-themed vacations in British castles.

It’s time for a new adventure: leading Osborne Village’s business improvement zone.

“It’s a community I really care about, and I feel like I have the skillset that can bring a lot to the table,” said Gervais, 38.

The graduate student began her first day as the Osborne Village BIZ’s executive director Monday. She follows Lindsay Somers, who spent the past two years working on Osborne Village’s pandemic-era recovery, including creating a blueprint for the neighbourhood’s revitalization.

Gervais said she expects to follow the plan. She’d like to tackle safety issues, increase the BIZ’s social media presence and expand the local arts scene.

“Small and manageable steps” are key, Gervais noted.

Her resume includes titles as event producer, creative director and executive director. She led Polycoro, a vocal ensemble, and Dungeons & Dragons-themed travels in England during her career at Tabletop Vacations.

Gervais moved to Winnipeg from Edmonton to study music. She recalled Osborne Village, which friends recommended to her, leaving an impact immediately: “I just fell in love with it from the first time… and that’s never really gone away.

“I’m excited to help keep that spirit alive.”

Gervais hosted fellow musicians on her Crescentwood porch in an outdoor concert series, called Red Haus, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She believes her event management and networking skills are among the reasons she’s fit for the new role.

She’ll act as executive director while finishing an MBA at the University of Manitoba.

Gervais brings “a passion for community engagement and development and an extensive variety of skills in creative initiatives, programming and marketing,” Nicole Friesen, chair of the Osborne Village BIZ’s board, said in a news release.

The Osborne Village BIZ area now has an annual rental value of $6.65 million, the highest it’s been in six years. Somers said she felt the neighbourhood was “on an upswing” following its pandemic-era hit when interviewed during her final days.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com