CLARKSVILLE, Ind. — A longtime ice cream staple in Clarksville is still enduring the construction at their front doorstep. The Widow's Walk Ice Creamery has seen a loss of revenue throughout the year but that could be changing soon.
"If they still want to enjoy us next season we need help now," said Jill Dodson, the owner of the ice creamery. "It's the winter and we've got to get through this."
Riverside Drive in Clarksville, which has been closed all year due to the city's "enhancement project," will soon re-open. Road closure signs are still up around Ashland Park, but once they are removed by the end of the month the Widow's Walk Ice Creamery hopes their customers will come back.
The Town of Clarksville said they should be done by the spring, specifically before the next Thunder Over Louisville celebration.
The construction zone on Riverside Drive was busy, full of workers and equipment earlier this year. As of Tuesday, the work site was much calmer, clean and vehicles had no trouble driving through. It's a sight Dodson has been long waiting for.
"I mean it's really starting to look like a park again," Dodson said.
The mess may be clearing up but on Veterans Day the ice creamery's views were too clear for comfort. Dodson posted a video on the business' Facebook page showing no customers to be seen outside their door.
"These road closed barriers, if I can get them down if they can do that part I can do the rest," Dodson said. "I can get the people here and do videos of all the wonderful beautiful things that they've done. But those barriers are I think they're called barriers for a reason."
The Town of Clarksville's spokesperson Ken Conklin said signs will be removed by the end of November, and the enhancement project for Riverside Drive is 85% completed.
"Today was a big day because it's one of our final project update meetings before we open the road up for the winter season," Conklin said. "The goal was to have the road open to pretty much normal traffic towards the end of November. And it looks like we are going to hit that target."
The installation of the flood wall on Main Street and completion of the Ashland Park playground also speaks to the progress.
"It shows the community that we're invested in making Clarksville a destination for folks here in Southern Indiana as well as over in Louisville," Conklin said. "It's a great park to come down and bring the family for the day. Grab a cone of ice cream and just explore the area."
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or X feed.