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POLL: Life buzzes back into PA’s downtown core

Jul 21, 2013 | 8:39 AM

Over the past year an increasing number of businesses in Prince Albert’s downtown core have bit the dust.

However, that trend is taking a new direction.

Recently new businesses have started to transform the vacant buildings into their own prosperous creations, such as Delicate Petals located 909B Central Avenue that opened July 4.

“People have been pushing me to do this for a while … and you’re kind of scared to take that leap, right? So finally I said I’m going to do it, and I did and I’ve been doing very well with it,” said co-owner Violet Herdin.

Herdin used to run the business out of her home, but said moving to the downtown location was a great transition that suits her needs.

She is aware of the stigma that haunts downtown, but said she’s had no issue since moving.

“I was skeptical coming down here … [but] I’ve had absolutely no problem,” she said. “[There are] great neighbours on either side of me, so I’m very pleased where I am downtown.”

“We’ve been here until 1:30, 2 o’clock in the morning when we we’re renovating. We had absolutely no issues whatsoever. Even now when we leave in the evening, we’ve had no issue, so the stigma was maybe a few years back.”

Bob Gill with the Main Street Program that looks to revitalize the downtown area said Delicate Petals is only one of a few new recently opened businesses and won’t be the last.

“There’s been a lot of interesting new businesses starting up downtown, which is a great thing. It’s about time. It’s very positive here with everything that’s been happening lately,” Gill said.

“We’ve got about eight or nine other projects on the go that we’re working on too here, so I think the word is out. Not only for some funding assistance from the government, but the downtown is heading in the right direction to get revitalized.”

Some of the other businesses Gill mentioned that will grace the downtown area include Appliance Clinic on 1360 Central Avenue, Healing Garden Spa Therapies, and Jax Antiques, which replaced the antique shop below Mind Over Matter.

“RNF Ventures [Ltd.] has bought that corner building and they’re fixing it up … so that’s going to be a really nice one. I’ve seen the plans come across the desk; they’re fixing up the interior and the exterior. And with that being such a high profile area right on the corner, it’s going to be a very very strikingly nice building when they finish with it.”
This trend towards a positive downtown environment is being seen across Canada.

“The more things the people will see in the next few months and next year that will happen with all the things that are happening that stigma’s going to be gone,” he said.

“Like I say it’s a new trend happening all over North America and we’re going to see that change in PA as well.”

sstone@panow.com

On Twitter: @sarahstone84