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Residents are being reminded that some high-traffic streets in Moose Jaw will be closed for construction in the coming months for the city’s infrastructure renewal program.
This will include the zero block of Main Street North from Manitoba Street East to River Street East on the slate to have failing water main pipes replaced. There will also be paving from Manitoba Street to Fairford Street.
In order to reduce the impact of the construction on businesses, city council recently gave a noise bylaw exemption to allow construction to take place between 5 a.m. and midnight.
City Manager Maryse Carmichael told 800 CHAB’s Rob Carnie in Take 5 that the city wanted to make the construction as seamless as possible for local businesses.
“We have a few requirements in place to ensure we’re reducing the impact that we’ll have on the local businesses. My main message for all our residents and for tourists coming to the city is that it’s going to be business as usual,” Carmichael said.
The issue at hand is whether construction on Main Street North will continue into the summer at the height of tourism season or whether the construction will be done late in the fall with the chance of the ground freezing.
Carmichael said the message the city wants to get out is, even with the construction, businesses will be open and residents and tourists are still encouraged to do their shopping downtown.
“Everything will be open in town. Businesses are still open. There'll be some construction, but we’ll make sure that people can access our downtown, can be there, and can still go to those normal businesses that you would go to on Main Street,” Carmichael said.
An open house was held on March 27 for affected businesses. A second online open house is expected later this month.