By David F. Rooney
For weeks the Big Question in town has been: “When will the plaza be ready?”
Public Works Director Brian Mallett answered that question at City Council this week when he told Mayor Dave Raven that all of the work along Mackenzie Avenue between First and Third Streets will be completed by Thursday, July 23, the day Homecoming is scheduled to begin.
“Everything will finished by July 23,” he told a pleased-looking mayor and Council on Tuesday.
The project was to have been finished by June 21 but its completion was delayed by problems with the decorative bricks — the wrong-coloured bricks were delivered to the work site and with the pipes buried below Mackenzie Avenue.
The delays dismayed tourists and locals and angered many merchants in the downtown core who believe their businesses were adversely affected during the crucial summer season. Many of those businesspeople are expected to meet on Monday evening to discuss the notion of compensation from the City.
Meanwhile, plans have been made to formally inaugurate the project. Mayor Dave Raven will cut a ribbon to open the expansion on Saturday during the 2009 Homecoming Parade, which will begin from the Courthouse at 12 noon.
The Homecoming Committee is publishing ads in the local news media this week, including in the print edition of The Revelstoke Current on Monday, details about the parade and the judging for floats. And, yes, there will be prizes for the best.
