P.A. company boasts façade improvement

The head of a company in the business of tearing buildings down has changed his tune when it comes to RNF Ventures’ headquarters.

Located just across from Prince Albert’s Historical Museum and the riverfront at the intersection of River Street and Central Avenue, RNF Ventures operates one building and leases out another.

Although he knew the buildings were in rough shape when they bought them in November, president Kelly Miller said there were no plans to do any demolition.

They had to deal with crumbling walls on top of other needed renovations.

 “I’m a builder and we build things, we don’t necessarily fix things and I’ve always been a tear it down and start new sort of person. Since we bought this place it really changed our perspective about 180 degrees on what’s important and what’s not important,” Miller explained.

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He added tearing down the building wasn’t economically viable.

When the company purchased the property, the building needed work both inside and out.

In the time since then Miller has come to appreciate the history of both buildings, which were erected over a century ago in the early 1900s.

Once RNF started renovating the building, Bob Gill with Main Street Prince Albert approached Miller about funding they could apply for through the program.

Although the province is no longer funding the program, Gill explained they’ve received the provincial funds and now need businesses in Prince Albert to undergo façade improvements to receive the grant money.

The two buildings’ new lighting, canopies, stucco and a roof have been funded by the largest grant approval by Main Street Prince Albert. 

Prince Albert Northcote MLA Victoria Jurgens presented Miller with the $40,000 cheque on Friday.

Before that, Miller spoke to a small group of people in their office.

“Our downtown was crumbling and I think that hopefully this can be the catalyst for some other people I know our neighbours on either side are starting their repair work right now, or their restoration. We’re really proud to invest in our community,” he said.

Gill said there are about three projects in the works that will soon receive funding through the Main Street Prince Albert program. His own office is among them. It is currently under renovations and will be done within a week or so.

claskowski@panow.com

On Twitter: @chelsealaskowsk