Renewal and change. Gone are some traffic lights in the P.A.downtown but there are some new markings at key intersections along Central Ave. (Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

sign of the times

New signage points to brighter future for downtown Prince Albert

Oct 28, 2019 | 5:00 PM

It’s a sign of the times, and a good one for downtown Prince Albert.

New street signs, to reflect the precinct’s unique feel, have started to go up at various intersections along Central Ave., with more to come. The organization behind them sees the move as part of the ongoing revitalization of the area.

“It’s going to take us a while to get every one of them done, but eventually it will all be completed for the whole downtown,“ Carolyn Carleton with the Prince Albert Downtown Business Improvement District said.

The signs feature street names in a distinctive black and white, along with the semi-circular Downtown Prince Albert logo above. That’s in keeping with the style and colour scheme of the Welcome to Downtown wayfinding street signs highlighting various locations that were erected last year.

“We’re just trying to reflect how it actually feels in the downtown. All the shop owners work together and it feels like its own community down there,” she said.

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Carleton said the signs are purchased with money from a city reserve fund that is filled from parking meter fees. The city confirmed the cost for the signs, that will go at the intersections on Central Ave. between 14th St. and River St., was $2,500. They were made by a specialist company in Edmonton.

She said the ongoing visual improvements are part of the momentum that continues to build in the downtown, thanks mainly to the conversion of the Central Ave. forestry building to the new single University of Saskatchewan campus, which is due to open next September.

“Honestly, I’m starting to run out of store fronts,” said a buoyant Carleton. “I’m helping so many businesses get started right now it’s so encouraging.”

She said she’d seen half a dozen new enterprises get underway in recent months with another three or four more set to open in the next month.

WM Electronics is one of several new store fronts to have opened up in recent months in the P.A. downtown. (Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

One of those newcomers, in more ways than one, yo set up shop on Central Avenue is Jie Ma. She recently came to Canada from China and runs WM Electronics, which offers computer repairs, electronics, cell phone accessories and home decoration lighting displays.

Adding some sparkle to the downtown. Jie Ma runs a new store on Central Avenue. (Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

“Prince Albert is the third biggest city in the province and this is a beautiful opportunity for us to get more customers,” Ma said. “Central Avenue is a good place to establish my business.”

The handful of business start-ups in the downtown is not just good for the new, but for the established as well.

Eclectic Upcycled Furniture and Decor is another part of the business revitalization mosaic in the downtown.(Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

It’s not only the newcomers who hope to benefit from the increased vibrancy in the downtown. Ted Matheson Men’s Wear has been a staple for 90 years.(Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

Mel White, sales associate at Ted Matheson Men’s Wear – which has operated for 90 years – said it was “awesome” to see the fresh street signs and the new store fronts.

“The nice thing about being downtown is the independent businesses that provide what people want. We’re not cookie-cutter. Everything is positive.”

All key intersections in the downtown will have the new street signage. (Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

So far, the signs towards a more vibrant downtown in the future appear to be pointing in the right direction.

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow