Big changes are coming to downtown Winnipeg as the city is getting ready to let people walk across its famous intersection again for the first time since 1979.
Starting this Friday, people will be able to walk across Portage and Main and the hope is the change will bring more life back to the downtown area and make it friendlier for people on foot.
“Having more people live or visit our downtown creates a sense of belonging and vibrancy,” says Natalie Thiesen from Economic Development Winnipeg.
“It also makes locals wanting to perhaps stay after work to catch up with friends or to take them to a play or to a sports game.”
At the same time, Graham Avenue is being reimagined as well to soon be a pedestrian hub. The street, which is mostly used by buses right now, will be turned into a spot for people to walk and hang out.
“To transition them from a bus route to a pedestrian-friendly zone is complex,” Thiesen says. “But we’re looking forward to promoting the fact that they’re going to be have different art installations and activations with the CEBL championship at the end of this summer.”
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The idea is simple: if downtown is easier to walk around in, more shoppers, tourists, and businesses will come.
And while the businesses are excited about the upcoming footfall, they say there’s more work to be done.
“It could open up more businesses in downtown if people trust the process” says Darren Yewchyn of Smoke’N Bob’s. “If they can see that crime and so forth is very limited and they feel secure walking in downtown”
He says, “The city has to build trust in the people again”
Some other longtime business owners have concerns as well.
Aimee Peake, who has owned Bison Books on Graham Avenue for over 15 years, likes the idea of bringing more people to downtown but is worried that the plan might not be for everyone.
“I think anything that brings more people downtown is a positive change, but I am a bit concerned about this end of Graham and what’s going to happen because this is not the pedestrian end,” Peake says.
She says getting more people to walk around is only one step.
“What we need is more retail presence, more stores in the storefronts,” she says.
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