'Please think of us': Summerside business owner hopes for customers' support during construction

There are many construction projects on the go in Summerside, and while some business owners are happy that could result in more housing and customers in the city's downtown, they also worry about maintaining their traffic.

A major housing and retail development is being built not far from Holman's Ice Cream Parlour on Fitzroy Street. Daniel Meister owns the shop and worries there may be less foot traffic given the dust filling the air from construction.

"We're really, really excited to see all the development that's going on in downtown Summerside. You see new housing, new retail space for more businesses to really grow the downtown space," he said.

"While it's going on, we're concerned that there'll be some residents and some tourists who are worried about coming to the downtown. And we just want to remind people that, you know, as a business, we're still here, we're still selling things."

The ongoing construction also causes issues with parking, Meister said.

"We just want to remind everyone there is a downtown business community, an ecosystem, that relies on people for support. And so, while the construction is going on just please think of us," he said.

The project near Holman's is called The Regent, a five-storey building on the corner of Water and Summer streets. It's expected to cost $18 million, and will include 10,000 square feet of commercial space along with 40 housing units.

'People still come downtown'

Other downtown business owners echoed Meister's concerns, but some are used to having construction nearby.

"There is certainly a lot of development going on downtown right now and it's exciting to see," said Alex Clark, owner of Evermoore Brewing Company on Water Street, where a large development went up right next door to the brewery a few years ago.

"I'm excited for it. I think street closures can scare a few people, but ... I think people still come downtown. There is a bit of traffic too, maybe cone-licker traffic driving by and wanting to see what's going on, and that's not bad either."

Like Clark, the operator of Yumi Sushi hopes development in the downtown core means more customers.

"For our restaurant, I think it's ... good for us. More people will be living around us and coming here," said David Pan, who manages the shop. "I think they should have more [hotels], houses to live, to make downtown more busy."

Staff with the city want to support small businesses as much as possible, said J. P. Desrosiers, Summerside's deputy CAO.

"There is certainly some level of concern for our downtown small business when it comes to potential disruptions and traffic delays," he said.

"We encourage our residents to continue to support small business, continue to visit our downtown despite some of the potential small and short traffic delays."

Workers are trying to lay the foundation of The Regent as soon as possible so work can continue on the project, Desrosiers said, adding much of the work downtown will ease over the next few months.

The hope is to have a majority of the construction complete in the next year and a half, he said.

Some streets will have to be shut down while work on The Regent project continues, though. According to a news release from the city, First Street will be closed from the Credit Union driveway to Summer Street "for the foreseeable future."