The City of St. John’s has essentially given itself permission to carry out overnight construction on a section of Elizabeth Avenue over the next month.
That’s despite the noise and higher costs that come with it, and the fact it goes against the city’s noise bylaw.
But in seeking an exemption, city staff noted the work calls for water shutoffs, including fire hydrants, that could cause more disruption for homes and businesses during the day, than at night.
In the end, council voted to allow “temporary, intermittent overnight construction on Elizabeth Avenue, from Anderson Avenue to Freshwater Road, between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.” The stretch is currently closed to regular traffic.
The city says the overnight work will take place “sporadically” over the next two months, but affected residents and businesses will be given written notice at least seven days before the scheduled work.
Councillor Ron Ellsworth says while most will just roll with it, at least one 24-hour business will be further impacted by the construction.
“As a resident, losing my water overnight doesn’t affect me much. It is what it is. You fill up your bathtub, you make do,” he said. “But we do have a business there and if we do shut down their water overnight, they will lose business because of it. I do want to raise the flag for the Guv’nor Inn, and Councillor Davis was sending emails on this. “If we continue to impact Guv’nor Inn’s operations, we need to look at how we help mitigate the impact on their business.”
He also went as far as to urge the eating public to patronize the establishment during the disruption.
“Just a bit of a plea, I guess, in the general community: If you’re in the area to get a bite to eat, look at going there if you can, to help out that little business that’s trying to survive while we’re trying to get the much-needed work done in the area.”
The Gov’nor Inn and Pub has affixed “we’re open” signs to detour signage, hoping to salvage some business that way.
The city says exact dates for overnight work aren’t yet known, and will depend on weather and the contractor’s schedule.