John Hull will sit in the jury box every day until he retires.

It may sound like a long trial is ahead of him, but he’s actually doing it for work.

The Red Deer architect has just moved his office into the former courtroom of the old Red Deer Courthouse at 4836 50th St. He, along with staff from four other firms, are now in the second floor space where they can work corroboratively on architectural projects.

Hull, who recently worked on the Ronald McDonald House-Central Alberta construction project, teamed up with another architect for this latest business venture.

Grace Zhang recently started her own firm Grace Architecture. She leased the space as part of her working partnership with Hull.

They are excited to be working in a room with its own macabre place in Alberta’s legal history.

Bev Krausher from Great Strides started in hockey before she elegantly walked into the land of gorgeous footwear. Rebels hockey. She was part of the management group responsible for bringing our beloved WHL team to Red Deer. Wanting a change, she knew she was going into business, though she didn’t know what that would look like. It took nine months from conception of the small business idea to birth Great Strides, a Red Deer institution on Little Gaetz. A savvy businesswoman, she just saw a need and was able to meet it. “It would be the same as if Safeway was out of bananas,” she remarked casually. Many women in the area and beyond have gone bananas over her shoes, purses, and accessories in the ten year life-span of her baby.

For the second year, the façade and shopfront improvement program will help businesses of downtown renovate their store fronts.

The Board of the Downtown Business Association believes in the program and wishes to continue the successes from last year. They have decided to expand the program by increasing the funds available by $10,000 to a total of $40,000.00.

The program is aimed at business owners that have store fronts that face streets in the downtown BRZ. The DBA has set aside funds to encourage commercial building owners and business operators to invest in façade renovations and storefront upgrades by providing grants to cover a portion of renovation costs.

The program is intended to:
• Make streets a more inviting and interesting place to walk and shop by enhancing curb appeal
• Develop the natural assets of downtown by restoring the uniqueness, character and integrity of building’s street facing signage or facia
• Help building owners attract and retain tenants and promote the marketability of downtown businesses
• Contribute to the quality of life for residents, workers, visitors and to build civic pride
• Be a catalyst for larger scale building improvements and downtown investment

The program can provide a reimbursement of up to 50 percent of the cost of eligible renovations, up to a maximum of $5,000.00. With the increase in funds set aside, more businesses are eligible for these grants and therefore downtown will continue to be the vibrant and welcoming area that Red Deer citizens have grown to love.

The DBA’s façade and shopfront improvement program has been extended for another year. The project was initiated in 2011, and in this time was a huge success, seeing approximately 90% of the $30 000 allocated to the program being claimed in 2011.