An eight-month long road construction project in Halifax can’t come to an end fast enough for local businesses. “Based on our business and the other business owners I’ve talked to around the area, roughly 50 per cent drop in business,” says Joel Chiasson, manager at Freeman’s Little New York on Dutch Village Road. Dutch Village Road has been under construction since April. It’s part of a $10 million road reconstruction project that the city has deemed necessary. “There was a lot of underground moving of gas lines and that sort of thing, new curbs were put in, the parking was straightened in. It was illegal parking and that’s been corrected. New sidewalks that have never been there before and bike lanes and the streets have been narrowed for safety reasons to encourage slower and more careful driving,” says Kathryn Morse, HRM councillor. Despite crews facing a number of complications with underground piping and storm drains which set them back in the summer, they are on track to complete everything on time. “The main problem was all of the underground work that needed to happen, so that’s why it took a long time over the summer. There were a lot of problems underground when they went in to fix the pipes which they had to do with the storm drains and the piping so that’s why it took so long over the summer,” adds Morse. This week it’s down to the finishing touches. “We are in the final week, they are putting the finishing touches on, there are a few sections of sidewalks that still need to be done and a bike lane that still needs to be paved and there’s some landscaping and infilling to make sure there are no tripping hazards,” says Morse. Businesses couldn’t be more grateful since traffic has slowed down for the last eight months. They are hoping this new road brings in new business. “A lot of people say ‘oh I was going to stop by but the traffic, we were gonna stop by but there was no parking with the construction.’ So, we kill them with kindness, we give them a coupon, we do everything we can to put a smile on their face so that the next time there is a struggle with parking they will spend the extra three minutes to find parking to visit us,” adds Chiasson. Although with the new road, there will be fewer parking spots. Coun. Morse says the city does not provide compensation for businesses, but she would like permission from the province to set up a fund to offset their costs, she adds that not much progress has been made on that front. “Unfortunately, there isn’t compensation for this time of major reconstruction project. HRM is similar to many other cities across Canada that road projects than the time that they take and there isn’t a way to compensate for profit businesses with public funds,” adds Morse. For those businesses that have been taking the hit during this project, they feel something to make up for their losses would be a great benefit. “I don’t think the government is keen on handing over large sums of money but even if there was some sort of tax credit for the businesses that have been struggling for the last year because of construction,” says Chiasson. The completion date is scheduled for Dec. 19 and the landscaping and adding items like benches will be done during spring 2026. Businesses like Freeman’s Little New York, are hopeful that when all this is done, they can make back their losses next year. “It will require some work and effort but we have a phenomenal team and care deeply so we will work together, and we can make it happen,” adds Chiasson. And with the new developments and units being built in the area, they are hoping for a successful future in this area. “There are going to be about 700 units in the building on Joe Howe. So that’s roughing 700 to roughly 1,200 people living in that building there. This building probably is not going to be finished for another two and a half years across the street. But that will be another several 100 people and the development in this area is huge, so I think we have a phenomenal future if we hold on tight for the next couple years, I think we have you know a good solid 20 year stretch to go,” adds Chiasson. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
