Business owners in Shepparton’s Maude St Mall welcomed the reopening of the northern portion of the precinct as the $17.5 million redevelopment nears completion.
The northern end was stage two of the project and included paving, landscaping and installation of shade structures at the Fryers St end.
It followed the completion of stage one in Fraser St, which reopened in May this year.
Evans Shoes manager Tan Brewer said the work done so far was “absolutely beautiful“.
“It has inconvenienced a few people, but it is what it is,’’ she said.
“We’ve got to move with the times and the growth of the community.
“It’s half opened up as you can see now and it’s just absolutely beautiful.
“There’s been a lot of foot traffic.
“Obviously when the weather’s nice like this it brings people out, the change of season.”
What’s New manager Fran Hawks said the removal of the wall surrounding the works on the northern end had lifted their spirits.
“We’ve been really positive about the change and just looking forward to finally getting the wall down and getting back to normal trading because it’s been a long winter with COVID around again and everything that’s been going on, but now the sun’s out and the wall’s down,’’ she said.
“So business as usual.
“When it’s all finished, it’ll look really good.
“It’ll be a change having the traffic, but I think it’ll be good change.”
A single lane of traffic will return to the mall when the whole project was finished.
At the other end of the mall, hoardings still shield businesses from incomplete work, restricting access.
Despite that, Lina Pennisi, of Lou’s Show Repairs, said the opening of the northern portion had given them a glimpse of what to expect when works were complete and she liked what she saw so far.
“Very excited now because we’ve seen the Fryers St end open up and it looks really, really good, so yes, we’re happy with everything,” she said.
“We understand that nothing runs on time with everything that’s going on and the weather plays a big factor in it, so when it’s finished, it’s finished.”
John Cooper’s Footy Korner store was in the southern portion of the mall and he was looking forward to the hoardings being removed and shoppers being able to cross from one side of the mall to another as they could now do at the Fryers St end.
“We still get shoppers, we want browsers,” he said.
“We’ve had probably three years of COVID virus and nearly 12 months of this, but it had to be done.
“It was getting old-fashioned.”
Greater Shepparton City Council’s project manager Liam Moller reassured business owners and shoppers the whole project would be complete before Christmas.
“We do anticipate a large portion of the works to be completed by mid-November and a November 30 overall completion,” he said.
“The overall project has retained its time frame, what has shifted is the stage completion of sections of the mall.
“The hoarding will be brought down progressively as the work area is complete.
“It will come down progressively throughout the month of October and towards the end of November as works are completed.”
Mr Moller said the partial reopening of the mall had re-energised all involved.
“I’ve been really excited to see the northern end of the mall become open to the community and really excited for the retailers and shoppers to have access to that area again,” he said.
“For me, the most satisfying part of the project has been the support from the retailers during the construction process.
“I do extend a thank you to all of the retailers for their patience and their willingness to work with the council team in relation to the construction.”