Local business owners seek community support as construction and traffic slow sales

Downtown Kamloops (Tk’emlúps) construction has put a strain on some local businesses that operate there. From sidewalk closures to noise, business owners have experienced the challenge of navigating a major city project, and customers note the increased traffic and lack of parking. One company even switched to a remote working model due to the impacts of the construction.

While the project is set to complete on time, by November 2024, business owners and the Downtown Kamloops Business Association share their experience of operating during the downtown Kamloops construction, and how Kamloopsians can still support their local stores.

What is the downtown Kamloops construction for?

The city is installing a main sewer pipe from First Avenue to Seventh Avenue to take wastewater from smaller pipes to the wastewater treatment plant by gravity flow. The plumbing seeks to help the growth of downtown, since many properties used to be occupied by single families have been developed into multi-unit buildings. 

Phase 1 of the project lasted from the end April until June, and the city is currently in phase two. The project is meant to last until November. The construction schedule also accounts for buffer days in case they might be affected by weather conditions or other things. So far, it is on schedule. 

Matt Kachel is the capital projects manager for the City of Kamloops. According to Kachel, the city spent a year planning this project, and is navigating other systems in the area.

“The pipe is deep in the ground, it’s sitting in the middle of the road and we have a big water main electrical system that we’re trying to navigate there,” he says. “It’s a gravity main so it has to meet a certain grade so that everything will flow through the pipe. We’re extremely constrained on where we’re going to like the position of the pipe and where we’re going to work.”

Since the pipe is deep, the city needs to have a full block closed. Once finished, they will move the sewage into the new, bigger main. 

“I’m very happy about not impacting water and sewer because it’s probably top of mind with what happened in Calgary and this is why we do these kinds of projects,” Kechel says. 

The effects on local businesses downtown

Howie Reimer is the executive director of the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association, also known as Downtown Kamloops. The association supports the area between First Avenue to Tenth Avenue, Columbia Street and the river. It is a nonprofit organization with the goal of improving downtown through advocacy, marketing and events. 

“With the sanitary upgrade that’s going on Lansdowne street, there certainly have been impacts to business and some businesses are reporting anywhere from 20 per cent to 30 per cent, some even more than that,” Reimer says. 

Stephanie Dilling is the vice-president and general manager of Wells Gray Tours in Kamloops, located at 250 Lansdowne St. 

During the initial phase of the construction, “It took a long time to get to the office,” Dilling says. “Then, clients weren’t too thrilled about it, but we gave them the heads up that with the construction there’s traffic delays.”

However, the company decided to close their location during the month of July and work remotely. Some employees have gone to the office once a week. 

“In the last three weeks, every time I’ve gone in, it’s so loud in our office, just from the noise on the street, I can’t even be in there for more than half an hour,” Dilling says. 

While clients cannot visit the office, except for specific instances, sales have not decreased due to the construction. 

Other local businesses, however, have seen a drop in business. 

Calli Duncan is the owner of Far and Wide, a retail store that has been in business for six years selling locally-made products like home goods, giftware and plants from lots of small brands. 

“We have noticed a decline over the past couple months, a drop in people in the store, which has translated to a decrease in sales,” Duncan says. 

Although the downtown Kamloops construction has an impact on the amount of people shopping, Duncan thinks other factors are at play as well, including heat and the economy.

“I do think the construction is part of that. Also recognizing that the weather has an impact on people wandering downtown, and it has been incredibly hot here in July,” she  says. “We’re feeling some impact of an economic slowdown as far as people having disposable income and money to spend.” 

Combine those issues with parking and traffic and Duncan assumes most are just avoiding the area “due to uncertainty of what they might face when they get here.”

The traffic due to construction has been a major factor for Brenda Johnson, the owner of Golden Buddha, a metaphysical shop located on 247 Victoria St. 

“Traffic is terrible, [the construction] does take away some of the parking,” Johnson says. “The parkades are free on the weekend, but that has not really been advertised a lot, so people don’t even come down on the weekends.”

Certain businesses have seen relief after the construction entered the second phase, while others have seen no impact at all from the construction. 

Stephanie O’Neill, co-owner of Foxy Box Laser & Wax Bar, says the construction hasn’t had an impact on their location. 

“I feel that the direction of traffic flow has been good for our shop, it sometimes can get a bit congested, but not in our area,” O’Neill says.

However, when other events are happening downtown in addition to the construction, things can be hard to manage according to O’Neill. 

“We just let our clients know via social platforms that it might be a little bit busy to give themselves a little extra time to park. We also inform them of where to park if they need to,” O’Neill says. 

Kechel acknowledges the main issue with the construction has been the accessibility and traffic downtown.

“You’ll probably hear from business owners, things have gotten a little tougher because I think people avoided the construction site,” Kechel says. “I appreciate everyone’s patience with this, and I know it’s been a challenge for people and short-term pain, long term gain type thing.” 

The communication between the city and local businesses

According to Kechel, the city used their social media platforms, websites and email to communicate with people. Traffic control signage has also been in place so those circulating downtown know where the construction is happening. 

“It is less convenient, folks may have to park a little bit farther away and then walk over, but the sidewalks are open,” Kechel says. “We were aware of what these concerns might be and we did everything we could with the traffic control.”

Reimer recognizes that this is a necessary upgrade since there has been a population increase downtown. The work on infrastructure has to be done. 

“They’re trying to do it as efficiently as possible and with minimal impact to our businesses,” Reimer says. “So we have been having those dialogues, their communications team has been quite good.”

Duncan is also a member of the board of directors of Downtown Kamloops and has seen the work done in collaboration with the city on the communications aspect.

“I do think that the communication has been great. We’ve received updates through Downtown Kamloops from the city, as far as what phase they’re entering and the change in traffic patterns,” Duncan says.

Business owners call on people to go downtown

Although Duncan recognizes construction and traffic can be annoying for the people of Kamloops, she understands how important small, local businesses are. 

“Small businesses have a significant financial and economic impact on our community,” Duncan says. “We donate to tons of causes, we support local causes. I really think small businesses are a linchpin in our city and in our local economy.”

According to Reimer, most businesses are still open, and the vibrancy of downtown has not been lost in the progress. Plus, while traffic can be a challenge, parking is still available, Johnson says. 

On the weekends, the Seymour Parkade at 240 Seymour St. and Lansdowne Parkade at 335 Lansdowne St. are both free. This parking is available in addition to the free on-street parking for six days a week after 6 p.m. and free parking on Sundays all day. 

There are also options on how you can get downtown. Public transit can take you downtown depending on where you are. The routes that take you to Lansdowne Exchange are 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 16, 17 and 18.  

For those opting to cycle, Kamloops Bike Valet is free, available from Monday to Saturday until Sept. 2 at 330 St. Paul St. The bike valet is a coat check style service, providing secure parking for adaptive bikes, bike trailers, jogging strollers and more.  

“We would really appreciate getting some of that support,” Johnson says. “It makes a difference as a lot of us are small, individually owned businesses.” 

Duncan echoes this sentiment adding, “I just hope that people continue to support local even if it might be a little bit more frustrating or a little bit more complex to do so right now.”