Despite construction work temporarily wrapping up on Moose Jaw’s High Street in November, local businesses are still aren’t satisfied with the road.
The businesses say the road is still too bumpy – and it’s causing some building owners to lose tenants.
Greg Gross is frustrated by the road outside of the building he owns.
“It makes me physically sick,” he told CTV News on Monday.
Back in July, the city improved water lanes on the street. Construction was supposed to last three weeks. Six months later, the project still isn’t completely finished. Gross says he thinks the construction is keeping businesses from moving into his space.
“What that did to me was take three of my spaces where I was making $3,200 a month, which a person desperately needs to pay the taxes around here, down to nothing,” he said.
Michelle Power owns a fitness centre on the same street. She’s frustrated by how long the construction project is taking.
“This is something that is necessary and needed and was in full support,” she said. “But the way it’s been handled, I think the buck drops with the City of Moose Jaw and their running of a third-party contractor.”
The city says it planned to have the project complete by fall 2017.
“We’ve been in contact with the business owners and we’ve told them and explained the situation,” said Josh Mickleborough, director of engineering with the City of Moose Jaw. “Certainly we empathize with the disruption and condition of the road. It’s unfortunate that it can’t be paid.”
Delays in construction included underground work. Rain and problems with subcontractors also pushed the project completion to sometime in the spring.
With files from CTV Regina's Gina Martin
