Construction on Dewdney Avenue is nearing the finish line – a welcoming thought for the manager of Bushwakker Brewpub, which is on 2206 Dewdney Ave.
Road access to Dewdney has been restricted due to work on the two-year Dewdney Avenue Corridor Revitalization Project.
Manager Grant Frew said this has caused fewer customers to walk through the restaurant’s doors.
“It has been tough, definitely slower. This has had an impact on our business,” Frew said.
“We’ve kind of been playing it day by day, week by week. We’ll have a few good days that’ll help carry us along, so it’ll be nice when this is all done and we can get back to business as normal.”
Although the project has hurt business, Frew said he’s still very excited to see what the street will look like when it’s finished.
“It’s been a long two years, but all of the underground excavation work is now completed on the Dewdney Avenue Revitalization Project. So now what they’re doing is all cosmetic: the nice paving stones, the trees, the lighting and the new asphalt on the streets,” Frew said.
“The full set of lights right on our corner – that’s going to be great with the pedestrian crossing. So it’s really nice to see, it gives us a sense of optimism.”
The City of Regina said the work will be complete by the end of the city’s construction season.
Frew said this year’s construction has been much faster than last year’s, and he’s happy that things are keeping on schedule.
Bushwakker and many other Dewdney businesses have still been open since the project first began, but Frew said they’ve had to battle the misconception that they’ve been closed since Dewdney itself was closed.
Customers are still able to access some of the businesses by travelling south from Eighth Avenue.
“We’ve been open for business all along. It’s been our huge legion of Bushwakker fans that have been keeping us going, but we’re missing out on all the tourism. They haven’t been able to come by because the road has been closed,” Frew said.
“We’re really looking forward to having tourists back. And I think when this is done, the residents will come and the tourists will come, because this is going to be beautiful. It’s going to be something to see; it’s going to be a huge boost for Regina tourism and the area businesses.”