Potential bylaw change could pave path to drinking on ‘pedal pub’

You may have seen or hear unique looking yellow and blue ‘quadcycles’ on downtown Winnipeg streets over the past few summers. Pedal Pub Winnipeg now entering its third summer of operation, taking groups of 16-participants on a leisurely tour through the Downtown and Exchange district, making stops at a handful of bars and breweries.

Miguel Gauthier is one of the co-owners of Pedal Pub Winnipeg, he says the business has generated a lot of buzz.

“They [people who use Pedal Pub] love getting together with their friends, and this is a really unique way to do it,” explained Gauthier. “They get to explore new bards or establishments they’ve never seen, and spend time in the downtown core, which may be a spot they typically don’t hang out in .”

That buzz has resulted in more than 500 trips completed over the past two summers, however at this time there is currently no Municipal or Provincial regulations in place to support the operation of quadcycles on Winnipeg roads.

Winnipegs Public Works Committee taking steps to address that slip in the gears – unanimously adopting a recommendation to adjust city bylaws that would allow for the safe operation of quadcycles in the city.

That legal framework would result in smoother operation for Pedal Pub Winnipeg, and even allow them to serve alcohol between destinations. The clarity of rules and regulations is something Gauthier and his partners welcome.

“So for the first couple of years we didn’t actually have any true license to operate,” Gauthier said. “So we’re more than happy to have regulations that come in, and kind of help us paint between the lines on what we can and can’t do, and legitimize a little bit of the business with the province and they city.”

The cooperation between Pedal Pub and various levels of government is well received by businesses that partner with them. Co-owner of Patent 5 distillery Brock Coutts says working with Pedal Pub has helped generate additional foot traffic in the exchange, which is positive for his establishment, and others.

“Somewhere between 350 and 370 guests served, in addition to our normal summer crowd,” said Coutts. “So as long as we can accommodate them, and because we know when they’re coming we can, it’s fantastic for us.”

The proposed bylaw change is expected to make it’s way through City Council in the coming weeks, and if passed, will give space for business and the core a path to pedal into the sunset.

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