Bernard Avenue is now closed for construction from St. Paul Street to Ellis Street.
(JULIE WHITTET / iNFOnews.ca)
September 04, 2013 - 8:22 AM
UPDATE: Third phase revitalization of Bernard Avenue is now expected to complete Spring 2014.
8:00 p.m. September 3, 2013
City officials have released a new schedule for final upgrades on downtown Kelowna's main street. Due to a labour dispute against FortisBC, construction work will be restricted to the stretch of road from St. Paul Street up to Ellis Street. This segment, now called Phase 3a of the revitalization project, is expected to complete by November.
Construction on the remaining block between Ellis Street and Pandosy Street will not begin until next spring.
Director of design and construction services Bill Berry is calling it a "regrettable situation."
"To mitigate impact to businesses, only the area where we know the work can be completed will be started,” he said.
The entire project is now expected to finish by June 2014.
9:30 a.m. September 3, 2013
Downtown's main street is once again an active construction zone with the third and final phase of revitalization underway.
Bernard Avenue is closed to traffic starting today from Ellis Street to St. Paul Street. Industrial truck traffic is being redirected along Gordon Drive.
While the third phase of the streetscaping extends up to Pandosy Street, complications with utilities have delayed work on that segment of the road.
Business liasion spokesperson Kelly Kay says the City should have an update on the project in two to three days.
In the meantime, Kay reminds all members of the public that it's business as usual for all the shops along the phase three construction area. Pedestrian walkways are still open.
Transit service from the Queensway bus station will also continue as usual.
Construction is expected to complete by the end of November.
For more information visit the City of Kelowna website.
(JULIE WHITTET / iNFOnews.ca)
To contact the reporter for this story, email Julie Whittet at jwhittet@infotelnews.ca or call (250)718-0428.
News from © iNFOnews, 2013