It may be a loud construction site in the middle of Shepparton at the moment, but it’s on track to be the commercial heart of the city come the end of October.
The Maude St Mall revitalisation is on schedule, despite the two sides of the mall looking more like Melbourne arcades than the wide open space Sheppartonians are used to seeing along Maude St.
Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Victoria Danielle Green, City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Kim O’Keeffe and council representatives were given a tour of the construction site on Monday.
Demolition on the southern half of the mall is due to begin next week, while work has progressed at the northern end and at the Fraser St section.
The Fraser St section, which will include a playground, will open from as early as April.
Ms Green said construction was expected to create more than 50 direct and indirect jobs, with almost 300 additional retail-related positions expected to be available after the project is completed.
Jarvis Delahey Contractors director Richard Jarvis said the project was “tracking along really well”.
“The weather has been on our side, which doesn’t often happen,” he said.
“It’s great to be involved in something like this, it’s a bit of a legacy project and it’s an improvement and people are going to come out and have a look at it, it’s not a footpath in the middle of nowhere.”
Ms Green was impressed.
“I think it’s so impressive and giving the Shepparton retail precinct a new heart and a new reason for people to come to it and something for little kids with the playground.”
Cr O’Keeffe said she couldn’t wait for the project to be finished.
“It’s very exciting to see the work progessing and what the future’s going to look like which is going to be really different for the CBD,” she said.
“We appreciate the patience of businesses who have been impacted and we’re doing all we can as council to help make sure they’re not being impacted as much.”
Businesses are still facing a loss of traffic along the precinct, due to decreased traffic and people staying home during the latest coronavirus wave.
The Footy Korner’s owner John Cooper said it would be worth the wait.
“(At the) end of the day it’s going to be much better,” he said.
“We’ve got to put up with a little bit but now they don’t browse anymore; there’s still some bloody good shops along here and they’re getting better.
“We’ve got to make sure they have a grand opening and really promote it, give it the full Monty.
“When there’s tables and chairs out here and people can sit out there, it’ll be great.”
He said he couldn’t be sure how much the construction was hurting retail compared to the virus.
“At the moment COVID is hurting, this new wave. Everyone’s down half in sales, we don’t know how much this (construction) affects us but I’d say it’s 70 per cent coronavirus and 30 per cent the construction hurting (sales),” Mr Cooper said.