Businesses around Halifax's Spring Garden Road hope end is in sight for streetscaping project

Halifax is looking to spend almost $1 million to complete the final phase of the multimillion-dollar Spring Garden Road revitalization project, which will require another closure of the busy street.

On Wednesday, councillors on the city's audit and finance committee moved along a request from staff to increase the budget for Brycon Construction by about $908,000 for the third and final phase of work. Regional council will get final approval at a later date.

"It is an extremely important project," Coun. Shawn Cleary said during the meeting. "We're still kind of experiencing some changes in inflation but not outrageously so."

A staff report said the funds are needed on top of the original $11.2 million price tag to cover changes to planters, delayed bus shelters, and to replace some areas of rough cobblestones along the sidewalk due to accessibility complaints.

The remainder of the work includes reinstalling a sidewalk with planters, street lights and public art in front of The Mills new mixed-use development on the south corner of Queen Street.

Sue Uteck, executive director of the Spring Garden Area Business Association, said this signals there is a light at the end of the tunnel for the project, which began in the summer of 2021.

"It's like having a child, you're like, 'Hopefully it's going to be off to university in September and you'll get some freedom,'" Uteck said.

Everything is tentatively set to be finished by mid-October, Uteck said, which would be a couple of months past the original end date.

The staff report said the work will include some impacts on traffic and bus service, but did not include any dates. While Uteck said street closures are always frustrating, businesses have made it this far and "we're here, and we're surviving."

Uteck said their group was "very unhappy" with the landscaping — concrete planters for trees, grasses and flowers were empty for more than a year and often were filled with garbage. However, she said there's been major improvements since staff for the Halifax Public Gardens took over, as planned.

"They're going to get nothing but better," Uteck said. "You can see the immediate difference."

Uteck said businesses are also looking forward to cleaner streets once the city's new sidewalk sweeper arrives, which can scrub a variety of surfaces.

Although the street closures and traffic disruptions have been tough for businesses, Uteck said the streetcar tracks and original cobblestone unearthed by construction in 2021 brought a much-needed influx of people downtown to get a glimpse.

The report noted the extra funds are within the threshold of 10 per cent of the total cost, which is considered normal for this kind of project.

The overall project has included burying overhead power lines, narrowing the roadway to allow for wider sidewalks, trees, bike racks, decorative street lighting and new seating options.

Uteck said businesses were disappointed when way-finding signs pointing to destinations, shops and services were dropped from the project, but she's hoping to present alternative options to the city soon.