NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT- Train cars roll past the horizon on Third Street in the city's centre Friday. This week the city hall's business support office announced that there are still funds available for applicants to downtown redevelopment incentive program, a program that in years past has been fully subscribed by the end of January.
The city’s business support office is advertising that money is still available from a 2019 grant program that pays a portion of certain upgrades and redevelopment in the city’s downtown core.
The Downtown Development Incentive Program has offered a total of $200,000 in grants each of the past seven years for property owners within a set area to pay for renovations, tackle environmental work or add residential space.
Officials say that with two months left until the program closes for the year, only about three-quarters of the funds have been allocated.
In years past, the program has been fully subscribed within days of it opening, typically in January or early February.
Awards range from $25,000 for major new projects or renovations on commercial or multi-family properties; $20,000 to assist in remediation planning and work; or up to $5,000 for costs or adding living spaces, or improving facades.
Amounts are set aside for qualifying applications on a first-come, first-serve basis, and are capped at $50,000 for any single address.
Rail work next week
Work done on a rail crossing in the city’s northwest will require a road closure near Box Springs Road on Wednesday, Oct. 30.
The work is set to take place on 23rd St. N.W, which is also known as Rotary Centennial Drive, and will require the arterial road to be closed from 9 a.m. to about 6 p.m. that day. Traffic will be detoured onto 10th Ave. and Brier Park Road. Delays are expected and motorists are asked to use alternate routes if possible.
