A grassroots effort dedicated to seeing Portage and Main opened is hoping to raise $100,000 to promote their campaign.
The Coalition For Portage & Main launched efforts to raise money through GoFundMe Wednesday and “received immediate support from the public, raising its first $1,000 inside of three hours,” the group said in a statement sent to media.
Opening Portage and Main will go to a plebiscite vote on Oct. 24. While plebiscite votes, unlike referendums, are not legally binding, Mayor Brian Bowman has pledged to treat it as such should he win his re-election bid.
The vote was the brainchild of North Kildonan Coun. Jeff Browaty, who challenged the city to have a discussion about the issue, which has quickly become a hot-button topic in the upcoming civic election.
The Coalition For Portage & Main is made up of volunteer people, businesses and organizations, they said, “who believe that reopening the intersection to pedestrians will make it safer, more accessible and will help boost economic development at street level there.”
They have also launched a hashtag used on social media, #teamopen.
WATCH: Portage and Main question coming to civic election ballot