Aftermath of partial building collapse frustrates businesses

Businesses want to know what's going on with a downtown Ottawa intersection that has been closed for three weeks after a partial building collapse that has driven away customers.

"It is very frustrating," said Mazrul Rahman, as he sat among the many empty tables at his Indian restaurant, Basmati, on Wednesday. "All the street is closed and even the [parking metres are]closed so people cannot park. Business is going down. There's no bus coming."

The restaurant opened just two months ago, kitty corner to Somerset House, the building that partially collapsed at Bank and Somerset streets on Oct. 19. The city has shut down the intersection around it until engineers have completed work to ensure the building isn't at risk of further collapse.

Rahman said no one from the city has contacted him withinformation.

"We're wondering how long it's going to be continuing like that," he added.

Peter Black, manager of inspections for the city, said things are in the hands of the owner of the partially collapsed building, as he is required to provide the city with reports from his engineer.

The owner told officials that report might not come in until next week, Black said.

Gerry Lepage, executive director of the Bank Street Business Improvement Area, said if things take any longer, the city should haveits own engineers look at the property.

"And if the owner is not receptive to that, then impose it on the owner and charge those appropriate fees back," he said.

At the very least, he added, the owner or the city should let businesses know what's happening and when the intersection might reopen.

Meanwhile, officials with OC Transpo, Ottawa police and the city's traffic control centre have told CBC News they're doing what they can to minimize the impact of the extended street closures, but there's only so much they can do.