The newly repaved Albert Street was opened to traffic on Saturday morning. It was paved with the hot mix on Friday afternoon, ending what one businessman described as a seven month nightmare. Today we found out that with the dust gone – businesses are now hoping the shoppers will return. We went downtown to find out if they are.
A dust free Albert Street was today bustling with shoppers for whom the newly paved street is literally - a breath of fresh air.
Man #1,
“Like fi we age, we can’t get a lot of dust blowing on us because it affects us a lot and so it is plenty better.”
Woman #1,
“I guess it is great. I haven’t seen it yet, it is the first
time I am coming out since it finished but it looks okay.”
Woman #2,
“Well it is nice, Albert Street is nice. I like it. Last time it was too much dust but right now this is better.”
Man #2,
“I think it is a jolly good show, eventually. It took what, almost a year, and they need to finish Regent Street as well but well done. I think the place was like the Iraqi desert.”
And people weren’t the only ones being stifled. Some businessmen say the dust was stifling business – and now that it is gone - their customers are coming back.
Anil Asnani, Store Owner
“It feels very pleasant. The other day I spoke about it and I told them that this long nightmare seem to be coming to an end and this is the Christmas season and as you can see I’ve been busy all this while so it is quite pleasant now. It was going on for the past six months or even longer than that.
With the slow season on top of the dust flying all over, it was agony they were going through but it seemed to have ended now.”
Keith Swift,
Do you expect business to pick up?
Anil Asnani,
“It already has. We saw the effect of it on Saturday itself. We now have the high season and the pleasant atmosphere to shop around in.”
Jerry Lopez, Fruit Vendor
“I feel good about the street being paved and thing because that dust was really killing everybody. It was bad for business, bad for health. Christmas was for kids and with all that dust you couldn’t bring kids out there.”
Keith Swift,
Has business picked up since the street has been fixed?
Jerry Lopez,
“Yes it has picked up. I think it is going to be better the next two days.”
Umesh Mahitani, Mikado’s
“I think it is a positive change and I know it was inconvenient for a little while there but we look forward to the future whereby the future years should be a lot lot better as we go along.”
Keith Swift,
Has it affected business, is business better?
Umesh Mahitani,
“Our business has always been steady.”
Keith Swift,
Do you expect more people to be shopping though because the dust is gone?
Umesh Mahitani,
“I can’t ask for too much. We’re satisfied with what we got and we’re happy with that.”
Keith Swift,
You’re happy the dust is gone.
Umesh Mahitani,
“Definitely and maybe I miss it.”
CEO in the Ministry of Works Cadet Henderson says that if the weather permits – Regent Street will be paved tomorrow and it should be completed by Christmas Eve. That again, is only if weather permits.
