Construction on York St. forces people off sidewalk, through store

TORONTO – Construction at the corner of York Street and Queens Quay West is forcing people off the sidewalk and through a nearby store.

A cyclist who had to carry their bike through York Quay Fine Foods recorded a video of the detour and sent it to Global News.

The video also shows an elderly woman with a walker having to get help to lift it up into the store.

Ruben Yu works at the grocery store and said the store employees weren’t asked whether detouring commuters could pass through their store – instead, they opened their doors as a favour.

“The construction, they blocked the sidewalk between our store and the Harbour Square, so all the pedestrians they have to go through our store then go outside from our back door to the sidewalk,” he said in a phone interview Friday. “We like this one, you know for the business. The customer is the money.”