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Downtown project 60% complete; businesses report significant hardship, city says $1M MEEDC grant is coming
Summary
Engineers said downtown construction is about 60% complete with an estimated wrap in mid‑November; downtown business owners told the commission the work is causing severe revenue losses, and city staff said a $1 million MEEDC grant will soon arrive to offset costs on the project.
Contract engineers and downtown business owners gave the Canyon City Commission a mid‑project update July 28 as city staff outlined funding and construction timelines.
Mike Schwarz of PR Newhof, the engineer on the downtown project, told the commission the work is roughly 60% complete and estimated about 14–15 more weeks of construction, projecting substantial completion by mid‑November. Schwarz praised resident patience and regular city updates while warning against misinformation on social media.
Business owner Joe Krueger of Redbud Hardware told the commission downtown merchants are suffering: “It hurts,” he said, adding that some businesses are mortgaging personal assets and fearing long‑term closures. Krueger urged more visible support and local patronage to help small businesses survive the construction period.
City Manager Dan said the city received a grant award letter from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEEDC) for $1,000,000 to support the downtown project; he said the funds should be available in September or October and could offset cost increases or reduce debt on the project. Dan also outlined plans to increase construction crews to accelerate work and said rental‑registration letters will start going out Aug. 1.
Commissioners acknowledged the hardship and urged residents to patronize downtown businesses; the mayor urged residents to walk downtown and use available parking rather than relying on curbside spots.
Next steps: the city will receive the MEEDC grant in coming months, continue accelerated construction with additional crews and communicate construction progress publicly to reduce misinformation and support businesses.
