Winnipeg transit users calling for more bus shelters as snow arrives

WINNIPEG — The sudden arrival of winter had some Winnipeggers waiting for their bus longer than usual Thursday, a harsh reality especially for those with no bus shelters.

Cheryl Bryant has taken Winnipeg Transit for 45 years and says every year, she asks Transit to put in a bus shelter either at her stop at St. Mary’s Road and Sherwood Place or one nearby.

“I’ve stood here with students from the school across the street, teachers, neighbours, we don’t understand why there is no shelter,” said Bryant, who depends on transit to get to work daily.

On St. Mary’s Road between Tache Avenue and Fermor Avenue, there are no bus shelters for 24 blocks heading southbound. But going northbound to downtown there are five shelters.

“311 has told me to stand on the other side of the street and then when I see the bus coming to run through traffic over four lanes of traffic and wave to the bus driver,” said Bryant.

St. Vital Councillor Brian Mayes can relate to Bryant’s frustration.

“I took the bus to the University of Manitoba and froze so that was one of the things that led me to leave Winnipeg and go to university and actually leave the province for 20 years,” said Mayes.

But he also says the city has put up a lot of bus shelters since then and continues to put up more every year but he says money is tight.

“The bus stop has to be busy enough to warrant it,” said Mayes.

City Council is currently working on its budget but Mayes couldn’t say if  money for more bus shelters is in it. There are currently 5167 bus stops in Winnipeg, 870 of them have bus shelters. 122 of those shelters are heated.