WINNIPEG -- Some businesses in Winnipeg’s Corydon area are saying that construction is stopping customers from coming into their stores.

Betsy Hiebert, who owns Cocobeans Bakeshop, said her business has been doing a lot more delivery since construction took over the space where her shop’s patio used to be.

“We’ve got construction like crazy in front of our shop,” she said,

“It’s taking up two lanes, so there’s no parking on Corydon where we are.”

She said this has been a bit of a “nightmare” as her customers come from all over the city.

“It’s tough. They don’t know where to park,” Hiebert said. “We’ve got right turns only and it sends you in a bit of a maze.”

She noted that businesses are also dealing with public health restrictions.

“We’re not allowed to have people eat inside and our patio is filled with big machines and big, huge sand piles, and we had jackhammers,” she said.

Hiebert noted that if it weren’t for the extension of the federal Wage Subsidy Program, her business may not be open at all.

“I fear that we would have had to close for good,” she said.

Lucy Bao, the owner of G.G. Gelati, said even though the construction is a block away, it is still impacting her business.

“The construction creates lots of dust,” she said. “The customer wouldn’t be interested to stay on the patio.”

G.G. GelatiSource: Scott Andersson/ CTV News

She noted the construction has also made it harder for people to park in the area.

“We have customers that are coming here that don’t know where to park and they even don’t know where to turn,” she said.

“So they say, ‘maybe next time,’ and they go away.”

Bao said when the weather is nicer they get more customers. However, the construction and public health restrictions make things a lot harder for the business.

According to the City of Winnipeg, the construction on Corydon is taking place between Lilac Street and Daly Street North.

The work being done is a water main renewal project that was originally supposed to take place in the fall but was postponed to the spring following discussions with stakeholders. The city said this postponement was “to minimize disruption during last year’s extended patio season.”

The construction is scheduled to be finished by May 28.