Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 17/02) - Construction in the downtown area is hurting the bottom line of some businesses. Others consider road repairs just a mild inconvenience.

Part of the city's summer construction plan involves improving the storm sewer and road conditions on the high-traffic 51st Avenue.

As a result, Boston Pizza has closed its patio and one entrance to the restaurant. Business has decreased by 12 per cent.

"With all that dust flying around and getting in everyone's food it wasn't feasible to keep it open," said restaurant manager Shayne Desjarlais.

During the summer, the patio is a "big-seller," especially on Sundays and on Friday nights. He said construction also hurts business during lunch hour when people are looking for a close, convenient place to eat.

"Why are they going to walk down a street with heavy equipment when they could turn around and go to a competitor?"

The longtime Yellowknifer said there doesn't seem to be a cohesive plan behind the city's construction.

"I've been here 22 years and every year they rip up a new road. If it has to be done, it has to be done," he added. "But it's hurting business."

Narciso Dapilos, a sales clerk at Reddi Mart on 51st, also said business is slow because of construction.

"It's killing us," he said.

Safety precautions

Jennifer Marchant, general manager of Centre Square, called the construction a "minor inconvenience" and said it hasn't impacted business.

She's impressed by the construction company's patience with people who ignore the roadblocks and walk down the street anyway.

Kids bike down the road, she said, and intoxicated people stumble and fall onto it.

"They are superb about checking out for people crossing the street," she said. "They are good about stopping equipment."

The noise doesn't bother her either -- she believes it's a sign of a thriving economy. "Construction noise to me is good, because it means progress."

The city's director of public works, Greg Kehoe, said they are working with homeowners, residents and business to mitigate construction.

But the city has no choice but to close roads during the short construction season, he said.

"Sometimes the best way of looking at it is -- what if we didn't do the work? The roads would continue to collapse and at some point be a public threat."

City engineer Dennis Kefalas said he will keep in touch with business owners in the area.

He said the city is trying to keep sidewalks open as long as possible and, if necessary, help improve access to businesses.