College and Spadina closure affecting businesses in its first week

Intersection slated to reopen April 27

Workers resurface the road at College Street and Spadina Avenue. Akorede Amosun/Toronto Observer

The end of the winter season means the start of construction season in Toronto.

The intersection at College and Spadina is into the second week of a three-week closure as the TTC works to repair the streetcar tracks.

Local businesses are already seeing a decline in traffic as the busy downtown intersection is scheduled to be closed until April 27.

Intersection at College and Spadina closed for streetcar track repair.

Intersection at College and Spadina closed for streetcar track repair.

Jevil Patel, owner of Booster Juice on College Street, says most of its business comes from pedestrian traffic.

“Within this first week already, our sales have dropped 40 per cent,” Patel said.

Patel says Booster Juice is planning some strategies to bring more foot traffic into their location.

Pedestrians are still able to walk around the area with limited access to the sidewalk.

Cole Vetor, an employee at Let’s Be Frank on Spadina Avenue, says the construction has affected foot traffic at the hot dog bar.

“We get a lot of U of T students,” Vetor said. “If people are going to come in, they will.”

Tuesday night was busier than expected, he said, and on Thursday the bar placed a sign in front of the premises trying to attract students with a discount on hot dogs.

With another two weeks of construction to go, Vetor hopes that the discount will keep customers coming back.

About this article

By: Arifa Rattansi
Copy editor: Jeffrey Sze
Posted: Apr 9 2015 2:35 pm
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