Downtown Belleville business owners hear from Mayor Taso Christopher at a Build Belleville information meeting on April 20, 2016. (Photo: David Foot / Quinte News)
Business owners in downtown Belleville agree that revitalization work needs to be done but they’re not happy about being surprised with a new start date.
Businesses along Front Street, between Victoria and Campbell, thought they’d have more time to prepare for construction, but found out earlier this week that phase two groundbreaking will begin on Monday and last until early October.
Melanie Hilmi owns Capers Restaurant and says the lack of communication has really put the businesses in a tough spot.
Belleville’s Director of Culture and Recreation Mark Fluhrer tells Quinte News the city and contractor will do everything they can to make the process as easy as possible.
Fluhrer adds that, while they do sympathize with business owners, it does make the most sense to do work on the Campbell-t0-Victoria stretch of Front Street first since work there is the most complex.
The official groundbreaking for phase two of the downtown plan will happen 9:30 a.m. Monday.
