WINNIPEG – Snow on the ground has made construction sites an even bigger concern for drivers and businesses in Winnipeg.
For business owners, construction means shoppers are deterred from frequenting their establishments around the holiday season.
“We definitely would’ve been a whole lot busier (without nearby construction),” said Angela Myall, manager at Party Stuff near Polo Park. “Especially through the season of Halloween.”
The assistant general manager at Hooters said the pub has been given different dates on when phases of the work will be finished, and it has affected their lunch rush.
“They were still pouring concrete this morning,” said Courtney Sych. “Customers always bring it up, so hopefully it’ll be done soon.”
The city said that for 2014, the work on Ellice Avenue is on schedule. There is some minor work on St. James Street that still needs to be completed and will be finished next year.
But the city’s manager of engineering said the two-year project in the Polo Park area is not too far off from where they hoped to be at the end of the year.
“While we didn’t finish everything we hoped to accomplish in 2014, we are really happy with what we were able to deliver today,” said Lester Deane of Public Works.
Mayor Brian Bowman said he hasn’t been briefed on the specific timelines but he supports getting the work done in a cost-effective and timely manner.
“I shop at Polo Park and I drive on those roads too,” said Bowman. “Anything that can be done to speed it up will be something that we’ll be supporting.”
Many parking lots in the surrounding area were empty, and a few shoppers told Global News that they have been avoiding the area.
Henderson Highway construction also was supposed to be finished by the end of the year, but the contractor wasn’t able to put the final layer of asphalt on the entire area. It is expected to be completed in late May or early June.
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