Winnipeg mayoral candidate resurrects pledge to open Portage and Main
A Winnipeg mayoral candidate is pledging to bring down the barriers at Portage and Main, despite the results of a plebiscite held on the issue four years ago.
Rana Bokhari said it's about improving accessibility across the city.
If she's elected mayor, Bokhari vowed the concrete barriers at the iconic intersection will be removed permanently.
"Once they're gone, they're not coming back up,” Bokhari said in an interview Monday. “It is a human rights issue. It is an accessibility issue."
The barriers have to be removed anyway to complete repairs to key infrastructure under the intersection, Bokhari said. She added she’s in favour of opening the intersection to pedestrians but only after a bigger discussion takes places to make decisions on crossings, bike lanes and where they should be located.
It has long been considered a historic and iconic intersection, one with concrete barriers at its corners, blocking people using sidewalks from crossing the busy roadway.
Vehicles can travel at surface level but pedestrians are forced to walk underground or detour to nearby crossings to get to the other side of the street.
John Sillers uses a walker and often takes the bus from his Winnipeg home to run errands downtown.
While he'd like the intersection opened to pedestrians, Sillers expressed concern about crossing the street due to heavy traffic flows.
"The street is too long,” he said. “You can't walk across it and you're not going to make it on time."
Bokhari’s promise is similar to one made by outgoing Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman before 65 per cent of people voted in the last election to keep the intersection closed to pedestrians in a non-binding plebiscite.
CTV News Winnipeg reached out via email to seven of the 11 other mayoral candidates who polled at or above the three per cent support Bokhari received in the latest Probe Research poll to see where they stand on the issue.
Rick Shone said he was a proponent of opening the intersection in 2018 and still supports the idea.
Kevin Klein said the intersection will have to be ripped up to fix a waterproof membrane under Portage and Main and that it may be less expensive not to replace the barriers. He's open to examining a pedestrian crossing at the intersection.
Candidate Scott Gillingham said in a statement he doesn't support reopening Portage and Main at this time, adding the result of the plebiscite was very clear during the last election and that it would be disrespectful to ignore that and go in a different direction.
Jenny Motkaluk, who ran against Bowman in 2018, said the issue was resolved by the city-wide referendum when she said Winnipeggers voted overwhelmingly to keep the intersection as is.
Shaun Loney is in favour of opening the intersection to pedestrians.
Glen Murray said the people spoke on the issue once already and we shouldn't be second-guessing that.
Sillers thinks it's worth another look.
"If you're walking down the street here, you can't get across,” he said. “You're going way around."
Robert-Falcon Ouellette did not respond by deadline.
Don Woodstock, Idris Adelakun and Chris Clacio are also running for mayor.
The municipal election is Oct. 26.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Iran fires air defence batteries in provinces as sound of explosions heard near Isfahan
Iran fired air defence batteries early Friday morning after reports of explosions near the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.