Reopening Portage and Main: Will pedestrian traffic reinvigorate Winnipeg’s core?

Posted on November 17, 2024 by Peggy

If you destroy it, will they come?

When the concrete barriers at Portage and Main are finally gone, will the pedestrians return to the iconic Winnipeg intersection? And what will the planned July 1, 2025, reopening of the corner mean for the city’s downtown?

That’s the deep dive Ben Farr, CBC Manitoba’s urban contributor, takes in his latest video column for My Hometown, a series that explores life in Winnipeg — how we live, what works, what doesn’t, and how we can make the city better.

Farr has previously tackled kids’ lack of outdoor play and the Route 90 expansion.

In this third edition of his column, Farr investigates the pros and cons of reopening the Portage Avenue and Main Street intersection to pedestrians. He looks to other North American cities for proof that pedestrians can re-energize downtrodden downtowns.

My Hometown will appear regularly on CBC Manitoba platforms.