With Election Day in Winnipeg just two months away, business owners in the city’s underground mall are chiming in on one of the hot button issues — the Portage and Main intersection debate.
Winnipeggers will vote in a plebiscite on Oct. 24 on whether to keep the famous intersection open or closed to pedestrians.
“I’m totally against it, totally 100 per cent against it, no one will change my mind on that,” said Janet Smith, co-owner of Appareo Fashion Boutique in the underground.
“I think it’s a huge waste of time and a huge waste of money. I think money could be put to better places in this city.”
Smith has been doing business in the area for a decade, and said her customers have also been bringing the topic up lately.
“Most people, I don’t think there’s any person that I’ve talked to as a customer who has thought it’s a good idea, everyone thinks it’s a bad idea,” she said.
Smith said her business is more of a destination store with regular clients, so she doesn’t think she’ll lose customers if the intersection is opened.
However, her neighbour Brenlea Yamron, the general manager of Nathan Detroit’s Sandwich Pad, said she has concerns about her business.
“I’d be lying if I said it would help business to open Portage and Main, it’s not going to, because the whole purpose would be to drive traffic upstairs,” Yamron said. “That would be difficult for business, it already is challenging during the summer months when the weather’s good.”
Nathan Detroit’s has been in the same underground location since 1979, the year the intersection was last open to pedestrians. It’s a prime location, Yamron added.
“Definitely our foot traffic comes from the buildings in the surrounding area, people don’t typically come to Portage and Main, park their cars and come in. We’d like to be connected, we’re glad that we’re connected.”
Yamron said there are other options for the intersection, rather than just opening or closing it to foot traffic.
“Maybe we close Portage and Main on Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons in the summer months and make it a gathering place,” she said.
“It doesn’t impede business the same way and it doesn’t impede foot traffic, it doesn’t impede traffic…where it’s just completely closed and you have your gathering place.”
The newest business in the area is Thom Bargen Coffee and Tea, which opened 11 days ago. Co-owner Graham Bargen has taken a more progressive stance.
“I think it’s the way we’re headed,” Bargen said. “I think it’s going to happen. So I don’t know, sometimes Winnipeggers are slow and resistant, but it’ll probably happen.”
Bargen said he would like to see the city allow people to cross the intersection.
“We’re kind of here for the heart of the community, we’re convenient, we’re efficient and fast, so I think it’d be great if you could walk across the street and grab a coffee up there,” he said.
The cost of re-opening the intersection would be in the $11 million-range, according to the city.
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