When will Dundas west of Richmond be done? Merchants hope it's closer to Halloween than Christmas

The official deadline for reconstruction work to wrap up on Dundas Street west of Richmond Street is "Fall/Winter 2018."

Those who run the shops and restaurants currently surrounded by dump trucks and safety fences say they're hoping the work will be done by October or November. 

The city is spending $16-million to transform Dundas into a people-oriented flex street that will be re-branded as Dundas Place. The idea is to make the street more pedestrian friendly with the option of closing it to vehicle traffic for special events. Utilities beneath the street were already due for replacement. 

While many business owners said they're excited to see the street made new, getting there means suffering through a big dig along with no vehicle traffic, a loss of walk-in traffic and even the occasional internet and power outage.

​And while most merchants who spoke to CBC say they're excited to see one of London's oldest streets made new, they're taking a hit to their bottom line and frustrated by a clear completion date. 

Here's what they told us. 

Joe Riggin - The Inkery Tattoo 

"I'm concerned because the completion date is not defined, it's kind of loose. Different people say different things so I try not to listen to all of it. I mean if you're in business, you like to know how long you're going to have to deal with this to plan ahead."

Riggin has had to deal with occasional unannounced power outages. 

 "It's a bit of a pain in our business because we tattoo and we rely on electricity. When all of a sudden power goes off, we're concerned about that.

"When it's all said and done, I'm looking forward to the future of London and downtown."

Mark McGonigle - FitzRays

McGonigle says his business is down 25 per cent this year, a drop he can only attribute to the work on Dundas Street. 

"This is the first year I've seen a decline in business in my 11 years here," he said. 

He's had to contend with safety barriers that at times herd customers away from his front door and sidewalk patio on Talbot Street. 

"I'm under the understanding that the finish date is going to be a month later than October 30," he said. "That's what I hear from the construction guys. They come in, they eat and we prod them for information to see how it's going. The not knowing is tough."

If there's an upside to the disruption and loss of business, it's that many Dundas businesses have come together and may form a new merchants association. 

"I think it's time now to write a letter and approach them all with an idea about creating a community with a little more voice about what happens in downtown."

Kayla Gibbens - Uber Cool Stuff

"We've seen a decline, especially without the buses out front, there's not as much walk-through traffic," she said.  

She says it would be "troubling" for her if the construction wasn't wrapped up by Christmas. 

"Of course we want to hope for the best, hopefully in the future this will bring in more for us."

She's had to deal with outages during construction. "It definitely keeps you on your toes."

Susie March - Good Value Thrift Store

"I keep hearing different things about when the work will be done," she said. "The last thing I heard was the end of November. It's all pretty vague."

She says the business is dependent on walk-ins and is suffering from the loss of customers who once gathered at the bus stop outside her store. 

"I'm remaining hopeful and optimistic," she said.