Marda Loop has always been known for its vibrant, small-town feel in the centre of the city. Filled with a mix of mom and pop shops, local coffee spots, and pet-friendly walkways near River Park, it is not unusual to walk down the street and see multiple locals geared with a fresh coffee in one hand, and a dog leash in the other.
For the past two years though, walking through Marda Loop has meant navigating through a sea of orange construction signs, traffic pylons, and road closures. This is due to a revitalization project created with the intention of designing a more pedestrian-friendly neighbourhood, equipped with new retailers, historical restoration pieces, bike paths, and eco-friendly cobblestone pavers.
Originally slated for completion this summer, the project has been extended into 2025, leaving many local business owners facing severe financial strain. This has forced several businesses to close their doors permanently and left other owners uncertain about their future.
Lost profits and little communication
Doug Gill, owner of GoPerformance Fitness Lab, says businesses were already struggling to keep afloat after the pandemic. The prolonged construction has led to an increase in cancellations and a decrease in membership sign-ups, resulting in lost profits for the business he has owned in Marda Loop for over decade.
“We are people too. We have businesses, we have bills, we have families. It’s hard enough right now to make ends meet, but with the city coming in and compounding those challenges, it’s really, really frustrating,” says Gill.
The fitness lab owner says the city failed to consult businesses prior to the major infrastructure project taking place, and emphasizes that communication during the construction has been limited.
Lisa Maric, owner of Distilled Beauty Bar, echoes similar frustrations. She says inconsistent construction notices have led to blocked roads and entrances to her business with little time to prepare.
Maric emphasizes that the unpredictability of the construction has caused reduced customer flow, an increase in late appointments and cancellations, an inability to carry out effective marketing campaigns, and delays in staff reaching the workplace.
This has resulted in a 70 per cent loss of revenue in her coffee and wine bar, and 40 per cent overall, which has forced Maric to lay off half of her coffee house staff.
“Building a strategy is nearly impossible,” says Maric. “We tried to keep all of our staff for as long as we could, but our only option now is to lay people off with the hope that we can bring them all back soon.”
City’s response
While business owners face mounting challenges, the city has defended their approach to the project. Ward 8 Coun., Courtney Walcott, emphasizes that when it comes to urban planning, there will always be some level of disruption in creating the spaces that the community dreams of.
“There’s a dynamic that’s here for a city of people that dream of really beautiful public spaces,” says Walcott. “We have to make sure that when you are envisioning the future of your community, you understand what level of pain is attached to it, and we have to determine what our tolerance to that is.”
The councillor says the city decided to go with an all-at-once approach to construction in response to the feedback they received from the phased approach they took on 17th Avenue, which was originally done to accommodate businesses, but has received criticism for non-completion after several years.
“The feedback that we got from 17th was so strong about not phasing it, just rip the band aid off, so we made the plan to get in and out of Marda Loop as quickly as possible,” says Walcott. “But of course, that itself comes with the same amount of growing pains, just in a much shorter period of time.”
The city is preparing for a winter shutdown by mid-November to ease the strain on local businesses and city workers, with a plan to restart the project in the summer and have it completed before the snow hits again. As businesses look towards the future that the city imagines, however, they are left wondering if they will even be around to see that day.