The 11 year-round businesses along Victoria Row in Charlottetown are pushing back against a proposal to block off the roadway portion of the street for at least 20 months to make way for the Confederation Centre’s $65-million renovation project.
The retail and restaurant owners say they first heard about the proposal to turn a portion of the historic street into a construction zone at the Confederation Centre’s meeting with stakeholders last week.
“It’s devastating. It’s absolutely crippling,” said Kimberly McIntyre, owner of Kuriosities Jewelry and spokesperson for the Victoria Row Merchants’ Association.
“Nobody wants to drink their glass of wine next to a jackhammer…. It’s not pleasant to sit outside near a construction site. There will be barricades on either side of the street, which visually will look like it’s not an area to be travelled.”
The Confederation Centre is aiming to start construction in October, and finish the renovations in spring 2026.
The centre received $47 million in federal and provincial funding to convert its former library space into the National Cultural Leadership Institute, which will include an innovation hub, arts academy, and discussion space.
