Mike Bryant
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 20/99) - Franklin Avenue business owners between 49th and 51st Street are relieved that road and side walk upgrading, for the most part, has been completed.

Ornamental light standards, trees and benches have yet to be added but according to the city's manager of public works and engineering, Greg Kehoe, the city is still on schedule for those final touches to the downtown beautification project.

"The trees will be coming in around mid-September and the ornamental lights will be put in mid-October," Kehoe said. "We realize that we're putting the businesses through pain but it's going well now."

Al Hemeyer, whose financial services agency has its office on the two block stretch that was under construction, still feels that the city has wasted the public's time and money in its attempt to beautify the downtown core.

"Essentially, there are other streets in town that need the financial attention a lot more than Main Street," Hemeyer said. "This project was a luxury.

"The businesses along this street really suffered. If you had a choice of wading through sand and other noisy, moving equipment or walking into the mall or Wal-Mart, where would you go?

"This was just another one of many mistakes that the city has made."

Bob Wilson, owner of Yellowknife Photo Source, was sympathetic to Hemeyer's views.

"I'm sorry that it (upgrades) was late getting done but I'm glad that it is finished," Wilson said.

"It will make the drive to Wal-Mart all that more attractive."

Dixie Bezaire, assistant manager for Sutherland's Drugs, says that the upgrades have improved the downtown core but is even more happier that customers will no longer have to navigate an obstacle course to shop at their store.

"It's very nice and it will even be better when the trees come in," Bezaire said. "It's nice to have our sidewalk back."

As for the next two blocks of Franklin Avenue currently undergoing upgrading between 49th and 47th street since last Sunday, the city plans to stick to its projected deadline.

"September 19 is our finishing date," Kehoe said.

"By the time the post office is done, it will look really nice with the benches and the planter."