Bowman would open up Portage and Main to Pedestrians

WINNIPEG: Mayoral candidate Brian Bowman says Portage and Main is ‘symbol’ of civic pride and if elected he would open it up to pedestrians.

Bowman made the announcement at the iconic corner where barricades currently prevent pedestrians from walking across the street.

He says he would try to open the intersection up by 2019, the year the lease between the properties at that corner, and the city, comes up for renewal.

“There was a candidate last week that was campaigning on fear,” said Bowman, “I want to be more optimistic.”

On Friday rival candidate Gord Steeves said he would crackdown on downtown vagrancy by adding more cadets to the area at certain times of the month.  Shortly after that announcement a Facebook post written by his wife exploded on social media.  In 2010 Lorrie Steeves wrote she was ‘tired’ of being harassed by “drunken native guys”.  She later apologized in a written statement for that comment.

Bowman, who he is also Metis, said he found the words offensive but that he was focusing on his announcement. “I’m making my case on policy with the person who is on the ballot,” said Bowman.