The $3-million project to fill Regina's Capital Pointe hole begins

A nearly $3-million project to fill the gaping hole in Regina's downtown is now underway.

The City of Regina says contractors have begun preparing the site by erecting jersey barriers and fencing and removing the pedestrian corridor.

The sidewalks on Victoria Avenue and Albert Street adjacent to the site will be closed until the project is complete in October 2019, according to the city.

The Capital Pointe site at 1971 Albert St. was supposed to be a 27-storey condo and hotel complex. When the Plains Hotel was demolished in 2011, the developer said the new building would be finished within two years.

When work stopped at the corner of Albert and Victoria Avenue in 2017, it was still an excavation. Critics said it was an eyesore in the heart of downtown.

The city moved to intervene and fill the hole, saying it was unsafe.

Now, it says it expects the project to be complete in October 2019.