Two more downtown buildings are joining the Town’s wood/rock theme with exterior updates

The Town of Whitecourt’s Vitalization Grant encourages businesses to update the outside of their buildings by providing some funding for costs. Years ago, the Town decided on a theme for the community, which consists of wood and rock. With the grant, many business owners have taken advantage. One only has to drive downtown or along the highway 43 corridor to see the changes.

The successful program provides up to twenty-five percent of an approved project’s costs, up to $10,000. Business owners are only reimbursed an approved amount once they complete the work. For 2022, applications were accepted starting in April and wrapped up in early May, with none received. Administration reopened the application window for another month or so, and this time received two. 

During a recent Whitecourt Town Council meeting, Director of Planning and Development Jennine Loberg explained who had applied and for what. “One is for the Divine Spa and Wellness Centre on 52 Avenue. They plan to update it and put a little bit of stone on the base of their building and paint the existing brick. This meets the intent of the revitalization theme. Their total project cost is just shy of eleven thousand dollars.”

The second application was from Preferred Property Management. “That’s the high-rise apartment building just on the corner of 47 Street and 52 Avenue,” explained Loberg. “The building falls just outside of the policy area. In the round two advertisements, we slightly extended the vitalization downtown area to incorporate some additional properties that fall just outside of that area. It’s bounded by 47 Street, and this one is just on the corner, just outside.”

Given that the vitalization program is undersubscribed this year, Loberg said that Administration chose to include it. “With the new wood panels, the existing sandstone being upgraded and the new balconies, it would technically qualify under the vitalization grant parameters. It’s just that it’s outside of the policy area. There are additional funds remaining in this year’s allocation, and Administration is supportive of it. We have put a recommendation for funding in the motion for Council’s consideration.”

Divine Spa and Wellness Centre’s funding request was $2,746.45, and Preferred Property Management’s amount was $10,000. Administration recommended that Council approve both. Councillor Lapointe spoke about the apartment building upgrades. “It looks fantastic. I’m glad that they are going to be looped in.”

Councillor Tara Baker agreed. “I appreciate what Councillor Lapointe said. Every time I drive by, I was thinking, what’s going on? And not saying anything about how it looked before, but it sure looks amazing and just the standard of the corner; they are using all the right stuff. I want to echo how fabulous I think it looks, and I appreciate the consideration for extending it to that area.”

Councillor Braden Lanctot agreed with his colleagues and said he often drives by it. Councillor Bill McAree chimed in, saying that the inside had also been redone and that it looked great. The funding asks for both projects were unanimously voted on by Council.

The Vitalization Grant Program helps local businesses and organizations within the downtown core or along the Highway 43 corridor improve the outside of their buildings. The budget includes $40,000 to support the program; over the years, many have taken advantage. Those who have already taken part include Sunlife, the Community Lunchbox, Tim Hortons (hilltop), Life Medical Clinic, Starbucks, Associate Medical Clinic, the Family Worship Centre, the strip near Pharmasave and Re/Max, Mr. Mikes Steakhouse, Vista Theatre, Living Waters Catholic Separate Schools Division Office, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, the strip mall that includes Family Dental Health and Community Futures Yellowhead East, Repeat Boutique, Timio’s Liquor, and Moose Country Petro Canada, to name a few.