Restaurants and other businesses along Calgary’s Red Mile are breathing a sigh of relief as construction crews have finally packed up their tools for the final time in the 2018 season.
Barriers have been removed all along 17 Avenue on Saturday as city officials announced the end of the season’s road construction that has caused a major headache for businesses in the area.
Anna Marie Moot, assistant manager at Ollie Quinn, a boutique optical store says that the construction has been a constant problem for them ever since they opened last April.
“We’ve been having some disruption with road closures and with parking but we’ve managed through and I think there has been minimal disruption I think.”
The city has been doing a lot of upgrades in the area for the past couple years, replacing underground utilities, improving sidewalks and rebuilding the whole roadway in different phases.
Moot says that she knows the work is necessary and everyone will be pleased with the finished product.
“It’s going to be really good.”
She says that the timing of the reopening couldn’t be better either.
“With Black Friday right around the corner, it’s going to be good for access to parking for shoppers and boutiques having sales. I think it’s going to be pretty good I think.”
The pause on the construction work is also a good thing for those who live in the area of 17 Avenue too.
Abraham Almaouie says while crews were in the area, he’s had to deal with delays and detours in getting home.
“You had to really drive in circles to get home but now I don’t have to so it’s really good.”
He says that some of his friends have children who attend Western Canada High School and they’ve told him that it’s been difficult to get them to classes.
The City of Calgary says construction on 17 Avenue is expected to begin again in 2019. Further details can be found on the city’s website.
(With files from Stephanie Wiebe)
