'It's like a root canal,' Business owners impacted by Huntsville rejuvenation project
The Town of Huntsville is in the fifth month of its massive project to rejuvenate the downtown core.
The main artery of the small Muskoka town is blocked to traffic, forcing tourists and residents to take detours while businesses remain open.
"The access is still open, you can't drive in front of the store, but we are creating as much parking as we can on the back streets. We encourage people to come downtown and visit your favourite business," said Stephen Hernen, operations director for the town.
In the middle of the Diggin' Downtown project is The Record Shoppe.
Co-owner Trevor Marshall said the construction took away the quick pick-up, which he said is a big part of their business, especially as the province reopens.
"It's like getting a root canal. When we're in the chair, we might as well have a second one at the same time," said Marshall about the pandemic year and the recent construction.
Marshall said that even though the construction is impacting business, the town council and BIA have kept him informed on the project.
"Once this is all done, and the cages go away, and the road is back together, it's going to look fantastic," said Marshall.
According to the town, aside from the new sewer and water pipes beneath Main Street, the project will include upgraded lights, sidewalks, Muskoka chairs scattered around the downtown area and green spaces for residents and tourists to enjoy.
The multi-stage project is in stage two, and the town hopes to be in stage three further up Main Street in August.
"We were supposed to be open back in December, but we had some stumbling blocks hit us," said new Main Street business owner Mike McAvan who will have his portion of the street blocked in the coming stages.
Music on Main, a rock-and-roll-inspired coffee and bagel shop, was put on hold not only because of the pandemic but also because McAvan said he suffered a stroke in the winter.
Since then, he's been rehabilitating and working on finishing the shop.
He said it's nearly complete, and he's hopeful, come late July or early August, he'll be up and running.
Although his block could be closed to traffic during his grand opening, he is remaining positive.
"There's a lot of traffic problems going on right now, but it's small-time pain for a long-term gain," said McAvan.
He said Music on Main will sell coffee, baked goods and guitars and equipment, plus offer lessons and a recording studio. It's a dream that McAvan said has been a long time coming.
According to the town, the entire downtown Huntsville rejuvenation project will be complete before next summer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Manitoba mom praises quick-thinking fire department for freeing daughter stuck in playground equipment
A Manitoba mother is praising firefighters for their quick work in helping her daughter who got stuck at a playground in Lorette, Man.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.