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'We are losing customers' business owner says of St. Mary's Road construction

A Winnipeg business owner says construction along St. Mary's Road is slowing traffic and dramatically stalling sales at his seasonal produce market.

Colin Remillard, who owns Jardins St-Leon Gardens, said for two months, City of Winnipeg crews have been working away on St. Mary's Road and construction has been focused around his business.

"Every day it's pretty much dust and noise, cars and trucks blocking the way," Remillard said Monday. "We're an outdoor market, so we don't have the protection of walls or air conditioning, so the smell of tar infiltrates the market. It's not the most pleasant shopping experience."

On Monday, construction crews had blocked off one of the lot entrances.

Remillardsaid sales have dropped 25 per cent below last year and there are noticeably fewer customers. Because the market only operates six months of the year, he said the impact on business is concerning.

"It's a bit of a bummer," Remillard said. "We just took over the business from our parents this year. For our first year, it's not the best to have such a hindrance to sales right off the bat."

Work on St. Mary's Road includes concrete repairs and the installation of a new asphalt pavement overlay, a city official said.

In an email, a city spokesperson told CBC News notices were sent out prior to construction to communicate with area businesses.

Remillard said while he appreciates road work needs to be done during the warmer months, he wishes it could have been done faster or sometime in the fall.

"We're not bitter about the fact it's taking so much time, but it has been taking three to four weeks on our side of the street," he said. "We are just losing customers who would normally be coming here by impulse that are not bothering with the whole hassle of coming in and out of the parking lot."

The city expects work along St. Mary's Road will continue until the end of October.