Just when it looked like the ­completion of stage one was on the home stretch, the heavens opened and the rain began to fall.

It’s no surprise that, if Maitland gets the rain that is predicted for much of this week, it will probably mean the city will have to wait a little longer than the August 31 deadline for the work in High Street to be finished.

Read The Levee story here

The council would have taken no joy in having to admit that the project could be delayed even further because of the rain this week – a factor beyond its control.

And if that’s not enough, debate about the controversial High Street kiosk has resurfaced this week, with councillors expected to debate the merits of the giant wooden box on Tuesday night.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel.

As stage one draws closer to completion and the temporary fences begin to come down, it’s easier to see how excitement could build as the area begins to look more like the vision that was sold to the public over a year ago.

Maitland Business Chamber ­president Craig McGregor wrote in Monday’s Mercury about his recent experience working with a client in The Levee.

Walking along the strip, he could imagine the vibrant future in store for the central Maitland precinct, filled with families, residents and tourists who could easily wander between High Street and the river bank.

Whether you are a supporter or ­critic of the way the project has taken shape, most people in Maitland will have their fingers crossed that Mr McGregor’s vision of the future will soon become reality.