Winnipeg mayor wants to “breathe new life” into Portage and Main

WINNIPEG — The debate over whether or not to allow pedestrians to cross at Portage and Main will be front and centre this week.

The president of the Times Square Alliance, will be in town Thursday to meet with the city and Winnipeggers about the possibility of reopening the downtown intersection to pedestrian traffic. He is expected to share insights learned in transforming Times Square.

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman won’t be able to meet with Tompkins in person, but did call him last week and acknowledges it is tough to compare the two intersections.

“Times Square is a different intersection than Portage and Main,” Bowman told media Wednesday.

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The mayor had promised during the 2014 municipal election to reopen the intersection.

“I have taken other municipal leaders to Portage and Main and they are under whelmed,” Bowman said. “When they hear Portage and Main they envision it being more grand than it is right now.”

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WATCH: Mayor Brian Bowman talks about the future of the Portage and Main intersection

1:18 RAW: Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman talks about the future of Portage and Main intersection

READ MORE: Council moves forward with study of re-opening Portage and Main in Winnipeg

Bowman said he has spoken to some of the property owners at the intersection and said he has been told some want pedestrians back on the street.

“They want to see a facelift to that intersection and make it more iconic and hopefully it will give them and the tenants a lift in the amenities that are there,” he said. “It is an historic intersection and what we are looking at doing is breathing new life into the intersection.”

He understands some Winnipeggers are opposed to the change.

“This is not the busiest intersections for pedestrians in Winnipeg,” he said. “There are many intersections that have greater traffic flow open to pedestrians and there aren’t groups lobbying to have them closed in sufficient numbers”