Some Elmwood residents are upset with the lack of work taking place at the former Kelvin Community Centre site.

Following months of public consultations, work on the site was supposed to be tendered in April, with the contract for the work finalized by the end of May.

Shovels have yet to hit the ground at the site which is causing concern among many area residents.

Last year Kelvin received a $400,000 commitment from the city and province to redevelop the site. The money was provided through the Building Communities Initiative funded by the two levels of government.

The money was provided with the condition it must be used by the end of 2012.

An additional $200,000 was later committed by both levels of government to bring total funding for the project to $600,000.

Elmwood resident Moira Honey said she is disappointed construction is behind schedule and the city didn’t bother to inform the community.

"I’m concerned with the lack of honesty from my elected official. That’s what it comes down to for me primarily," Honey said.

"When (Coun. Thomas Steen) gave me a very specific date of June 12 that there would be shovels in the ground, I ask myself what was he basing that on?"

Honey said delays are to be expected with any construction projects, but the public should be made aware of them.

"I understand things get delayed, then tell me that. Don’t tell me something that you know to be not so," she said.

Carlos Sosa, a longtime resident of Elmwood, said he’s happy the project is still going forward, but is disappointed at the lack of transparency.

"We were told at consultations that tendering would be in the spring, and construction would start in June," Sosa said.

"There’s been no transparency and no communication. If we had got an email sent saying it was delayed, we could understand that."

Steen said it’s disappointing that the site won’t be ready this summer, but expects it will be ready for the winter season.

"The winter season is safe, but the summer season won’t get any use until next summer," Steen said.

"I’ve been told three different timelines, but we have to be patient sometimes. There’s many obstacles that can show up during the process."

Honey said despite the delays she hopes construction will be completed to meet the end of year deadline for the money to be spent.

 "If something got in the way now that the tendering process is so delayed, what’s to say that it won’t get in the way so we can’t do the construction during the construction season?" she said.

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adrian.alleyne@canstarnews.com