After a five-month road closure, Wharton Street in Summerland is finally open once again.
The downtown street, one block off Main Street, was closed in July to allow for upgrades.
Angelique Wood, community development coordinator for the municipality, said the plans had called for the road to reopen in October, but the extensive upgrades meant a longer construction timeframe.
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The road closure meant access was difficult for those going to the Summerland Museum and the Summerland Arts Centre. Both facilities remained open, but the road closure affected parking, especially at the arts centre.
“They did everything they could to make it easier for these groups,” Wood said, “but the closure definitely had a negative impact on these organizations.”
The upgrade work was necessary for the construction of a new development in the area.
In March, 2018, the site for the Wharton Street project was sold for $1,989,000. In March, 2019, a building permit for $11 million was issued for the construction of the development. The proposal is for the construction of a four-storey, 88-unit apartment building with 390 square metres of commercial space on the ground floor.
The facility will be pet friendly and will meet a need for rental accommodations in Summerland, Wood said. A mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units will be available.
The units are expected to be open by March.
The Wharton Street location had been considered for a development in past years, and in 2012, a five-storey building was proposed for the street.
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