Keep those funding applications coming, Romano says (5 photos)

Sault MPP Ross Romano, speaking to various community stakeholders Friday, announced $600,000 in Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) funding for improvements to streetscapes, buildings and public spaces in the Sault’s downtown core.

“The project includes helping downtown entrepreneurs develop vacant ground-floor space for new commercial businesses, creating residential space on upper floors and renovating building exteriors. The city will also enhance shared public spaces, creating new event and gathering spaces, adding street furniture and improving the streetscape along Queen Street,” a Romano press release stated.

The project will create 20 new indirect jobs, Romano said.

Romano made the announcement at the Broers Jansen wine bar at 674 Queen St. E.

Similar previous funding benefitted Stephen Jansen, who with his brother Josh, co-owns and operates the Broers Jansen establishment.

A previous grant provided $10,000 for the wine bar’s facade, another $15,000 for its interior.

“That was definitely pivotal for us to complete our project. To have an influx (of funding) from the government was very necessary for us to move forward with this project in the time frame we had hoped,” said Stephen Jansen, speaking to SooToday.

Jansen said the upper floor of the Broers Jansen building is currently under renovation, with apartment space to come.

“I think it’s important we revitalize downtown cores, for our city and any city. That’s your cultural hub, your identity, and for us, it’s where you’re going to feel what it means to be in the Sault, and it’s important for the city as a whole,” Jansen said.

The Jansen brothers first took over ownership of The Wine Barrel five years ago (in the rear of the building at 674 Queen St. E., providing locals with the opportunity to brew their beer and make their own wine at a fraction of the cost), opening the Broers Jansen wine bar in the front of the building, facing Queen Street East, April 2.

“It’s been great. We’ve had great support. People have been very positive in their reviews. We’ve had a lot of return visits,” Jansen said.

“We have a very diverse group of people who come in. We’ve had great results. It’s been very exciting. We have our own ‘brocouterie’ board, which is essentially a charcuterie board, with meats and cheeses from all over the world. We’re constantly changing what we have on our menu, so every time you come in you get to experience something new.”

“This is excellent news,” Romano said, pointing to Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre renovations at the far east end of the downtown district and development of The Machine Shop and Mill Market in the far west.

“There’s more to come,” Romano said.

“Please get those applications forward (to NOHFC),” Romano said Friday.

“Move those applications forward. We have these opportunities within the provincial government, these funding opportunities that are going to allow us to unlock the potential that we as a community have, but we can’t do it if you don’t bring those applications forward,” Romano said, urging businesses to contact his Sault constituency office or the NOHFC central office at Roberta Bondar Place.