News brief · Shops
Davie Village is getting wider sidewalks. The shops have to get through the work first.
Street upgrades are underway between Jervis and Thurlow. The question now is how people will reach the shops during construction.
The City has started rebuilding two blocks of Davie Street, from Jervis to Thurlow. The aim is a more comfortable place to walk, reach a shop and spend time outside. The work is expected to run until spring 2028. City construction notice
That is a long stretch for a street whose businesses depend on people finding the front door. The City says bus service will continue, though stops may move. People walking should expect temporary detours, while drivers will encounter lane changes, closures and parking restrictions.
There is a good reason to do the work. The City's West End commercial-streets plan calls for more space to stroll, meet and linger. Sidewalks that are easier to use could make Davie better for residents and visitors, and better for the shops too.
The construction period deserves just as much attention as the design drawing. Global News reported on September 18 that Little Sister's Book and Art Emporium is worried about its ability to get through the disruption. That is one business's concern, as reported by another outlet. We have not established what has happened to its sales.
The City chose to begin after the World Cup and Pride events, in part to reduce disruption to businesses. Now the useful test is on the street: which entrances remain easy to find, whether temporary crossings work for someone using a mobility aid, and how far a moved bus stop puts a customer from the shops they came to visit.
Davie can come out of this with more room for people. The businesses that give people a reason to go there need a workable street during the next two years as well.
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