Businesses push back against plan to block part of Victoria Row during Confed Centre renos
Shutting down portion of street for 20 months will be 'devastating,' says merchants' association
The 11 year-round businesses along Victoria Row in Charlottetown are pushing back against a proposal to block off the roadway portion of the street for at least 20 months to make way for the Confederation Centre's $65-million renovation project.
The retail and restaurant owners say they first heard about the proposal to turn a portion of the historic street into a construction zone at the Confederation Centre's meeting with stakeholders last week.
"It's devastating. It's absolutely crippling," said Kimberly McIntyre, owner of Kuriosities Jewelry and spokesperson for the Victoria Row Merchants' Association.
"Nobody wants to drink their glass of wine next to a jackhammer.... It's not pleasant to sit outside near a construction site. There will be barricades on either side of the street, which visually will look like it's not an area to be travelled."
The Confederation Centre is aiming to start construction in October, and finish the renovations in spring 2026.
The centre received $47 million in federal and provincial funding to convert its former library space into the National Cultural Leadership Institute, which will include an innovation hub, arts academy, and discussion space.
At last week's stakeholders meeting, McIntyre said the project manager showed business owners a graphic of what will happen along Victoria Row if the proposal is approved by the City of Charlottetown.
'It's not a small project'
According to McIntyre, six-foot-high construction fencing would be placed along the curb of the roadway, with barricades at each end of the row.
The sidewalk, restaurant patios, and storefronts would remain open to foot traffic.
During the busy summer season, she said, the fencing could potentially be moved out six feet to allow for more space.
McIntyre still worries the construction zone would deter most people from visiting businesses along the row.
"We have case studies from Halifax, Argyle Street, where retailers and restaurateurs suffered losses of up to 50 per cent of their revenues during construction time," McIntyre said.
"No business can suffer an extended loss of 50 per cent of revenues for year upon year, especially coming out of COVID-19, a hurricane, and now ... at least two summer seasons of not having revenues, and possibly going further than that. We've seen the Province House construction and how far that's gone over. This is also a colossal building construction. It's not a small project."
City says nothing approved yet
Nobody from the Confederation Centre or the City of Charlottetown was made available for an interview to discuss the proposal.
A spokesperson for the city confirmed in an email that it has "received a request to close the roadway portion of Victoria Row for the duration of the upcoming Confederation Centre major expansion work," but that "no approvals have been granted."
A Confederation Centre spokesperson said in an email Thursday that "Confederation Centre of the Arts met with members of the Victoria Row Merchants' Association, and we all agree that we need to work together to reduce the impact on the whole Row. It was a positive meeting, and we are looking forward to more discussion."
McIntyre said the association wants the city to hire a third-party engineer to explore alternative construction plans, that would minimize the impact on businesses.
"Right now we're hearing one story from one developer. Obviously they have their own agenda and their own price points they want to meet. Of course, they're going to propose the method that's easiest, and most cost effective for them. That doesn't mean it's the least impactful on surrounding neighbours," said McIntyre.
"Progress is going to happen, and private owners have the right to improve their premises. But they don't have the right to impact neighbouring businesses as colossally and devastatingly as this proposed project will."
The city spokesperson said that "additional meetings will be scheduled to further this discuss this request before a final decision is made."
If the proposal for Victoria Row is approved, McIntyre said the association will push for compensation from the city and the Confederation Centre to cover lost revenues.
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