The people of Wagga's northern suburbs will have to wait until the new year for the opening of their first local shopping centre after its completion date was pushed back once again.
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The Boorooma Shopping Centre - on the corner of Phar Lap Place and Messenger Avenue - has been on the cards for years now and was expected to open before Chistmas until this latest hurdle.
Director of properties for the Catholic diocese of Wagga Peter Fitzpatrick said the project has once again met with delays due to supply issues.
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In particular, Mr Fitzpatrick said one of the main challenges has been securing ramp handrails for the site.
As a result, he said the project is now expected to be completed sometime in the next three to four weeks.
"We're hoping to have a complete occupation certificate within the next three weeks and then we'll be open," he said.
He said once the complete construction certificate has been issued, tenants will be able to move in.
Mr Fitzpatrick said at present the site has a partial certificate with a chemist chain already set up in one of the shop fronts.
Meanwhile, Domino's Pizza has also been locked for the shopping centre.
However, Mr Fitzpatrick said there are still some vacancies to fill.
The project has been plagued by delays along with many other construction jobs across town in recent months due to the prolonged wet weather.
But with relatively dry conditions over the past month, construction has progressed.
The good weather has also enabled concreting of the carpark and driveway to take place with the site now looking a lot more like a shopping centre.
While some lighting has also been installed at the complex, Mr Fitzpatrick said more are set to be put in this week.
The announcement will be familiar news for residents in Boorooma, Estella and Gobbagombalin, who have been waiting years.
"Over the years we've been getting a bit used to [the delays] now," Estella resident Bruce Durham said.
"But we're not very frustrated. We can see the end of the line."
In conjunction with the Boorooma precinct, a second shopping centre is also nearing completion in nearby Estella.
A Foodworks supermarket is expected to open at the Rainbow Drive shopping centre sometime into the new year. But with both projects now well on their way towards completion, residents could soon have not just one, but two local shopping centres to choose from.
"Each shopping centre will have a major drawcard," Mr Durham said.
"Enough people might be coming to the chemist [at Boorooma] to filter off onto some of the other businesses.
"While Estella will have the supermarket and a lot of people will have a look around while they are there buying their groceries."
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