It’s not just about the money lost because of the seemingly endless roadwork.

The financial cost of last year’s seven-month street construction and ensuing traffic disruptions on Mont-Royal Ave. W. took a particularly devastating toll on Dr. Terence Yacovitch, who operates a dental clinic on the north side of the street near Esplanade Ave. But it’s the social cost that infuriates him even more, in that a significant number of his elderly and disabled patients have lost access to his clinic.  

In my column last week, the owners of Beautys restaurant and Venus Fleurs on Mont-Royal Ave. spoke out about losses suffered because of a dearth of parking and stopping spots, not only affecting customer access but also deliveries from their suppliers because of the roadwork — which will continue for at least another three weeks after the snow has completely vanished.

Beautys owner Elana Sckolnick, granddaughter of the renowned Hymie Sckolnick — who founded the iconic luncheonette 84 years ago —reported that her business was down 30 per cent in the last year. John Rodousakis, whose father started the Venus flower shop 65 years ago, revealed that he had a staggering financial loss of 85 per cent over the same period and acknowledged that if business didn’t pick up in a year, he would have to close down.

Yacovitch’s clinic has three other dentists — his daughter Dr. Katy Yacovitch, Dr. Toula Papageorgakopoulos and her daughter Dr. Christina Angelopoulos — plus his office manager/wife Suzanne Yacovitch, an office co-ordinator, a hygienist and two dental assistants. He can’t conceive of shutting his operation down, because too many nearby residents are so dependent on it.

“We’re just a little neighbourhood clinic, one of those little islands of health, and we have lost considerable clientele — over 90 families that have left our care, not 90 individuals,” Yacovitch says. “This represents almost 400 individual patients. Yes, this loss hurts us financially, but it hurts even more spiritually, as many of these patients were like longtime family members … souls who were very close to all of us.

“During COVID, we had been closed for 12 weeks. And as we return to form, this occurs. The biggest concern I have is for my vulnerables … my seniors, my patients on wheelchairs, those with MS and other health issues trying to see us.”

He doesn’t expect the situation to improve, with more road repairs coming and the lack of access because of issues with parking, stopping and cancelled bus routes.

“Sadly, our disabled and wheelchair-bound patients still find it next to impossible to reach us by any means,” Yacovitch notes. “Even Transport adapté STM for wheelchair patients can’t get to us with any ease. And then there’s the two handicapped parking spots on Esplanade across from our front door that were mostly occupied by the road-construction team members parking there illegally.”

On top of all that, Yacovitch talks of yet more chaos his team had to confront.

“We lost eight full days of production, and half of those were with no advance notice. Our water — so essential for our services and equipment — was cut off, and so was our electricity,” he says with a sigh. “Turmoil, as can be imagined.

“Our patients are struggling so hard just to get to come here. We’ve had new patients call while en route, attempting to get to us. They give up: ‘Sorry, doc … impossible to find parking or get a bus that stops near you.’ So they move on.”

Yacovitch started his practice in the Parc Ave./Milton St. area in 1979. He moved his clinic in 1989 to this location on Mont-Royal Ave., which he thought would be “ideal.”

“When we started here, parking was free on both sides of Mont-Royal and along Esplanade,” he recalls. “There were no parking meters back then, but even when they did come in, it was all manageable. Bus service was right out front and dependable. There were two taxi stands a stone’s throw from our front door. Deliveries were straightforward and right out front.

“Now, sadly, it’s a true nightmare. Delivery services must scramble, double park illegally. I speak not only for our clinic, but also for all our neighbours. And when I speak to all my diehard cyclist friends and patients, many tell me they don’t even take Mont-Royal because of all the traffic and buses. They say they take the Villeneuve St. bike lane because it’s safe and secure.”

When contacted last week, Alex Norris, the area’s borough councillor whose Projet Montréal party is responsible for the roadwork, said it was important to bear in mind the project has yet to be completed and that he expects the parking/stopping situation will be much improved when finished.

“We realize this imposes significant changes on the merchants and I want to express my empathy to them. If there are adjustments to be made and if they are feasible, we’ll certainly implement them,” Norris said.

As for the gripe regarding poor delivery access for many merchants in the area, Norris’s plan is to create a new delivery zone on the other side of Mont-Royal next to the Maxi store.

But neither Beautys boss Sckolnick nor Venus’s Rodousakis thought this was a viable option.

Yacovitch concurs. He feels that he has a more viable solution.

“Bring back parking on Parc along Jeanne-Mance Park. Remove the concrete barriers enclosing the bicycle lanes, at least those on the north side of Mont-Royal. We are talking about 2 1/2 blocks from St-Urbain to Parc. Give us back the 25 to 28 spots we lost,” Yacovitch proposes.

“Removing these concrete barriers should be easy. Shave them off at ground level. No excavation would be required. There wouldn’t be major complex disruptions. Architect patients of ours say this would be a one-day project. And can’t forget there is also a cycling lane on nearby Villeneuve St., which is easy access for all cyclists.

“Pardon my rambling on, but after 47 years in practice, these challenges go far beyond reasonable impediments to growth. That growth has been next to zero. We’ve lost 15 per cent of our business. So give all us merchants a chance to regain our lost clients, although there is no guarantee they will come back, fearing the street situation could deteriorate again.

“We all understood that there were infrastructure problems to be addressed here. Now we’re all banging our heads against the wall, asking what has so significantly improved by doing all this. Hopefully the borough will help us out, but it will depend on just how dug in they are.”

Pun more than likely intended.

bbrownstein@postmedia.com

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