Business owners whose customer base includes transit riders say they’re worried removing the bus mall from Graham Avenue will put a dent in their sales.
“I think having the buses move off of Graham (next) year, without having a plan in place to replace all of that traffic is a little bit of a mismatch, in terms of the timeline,” said Aimee Peake, owner of Bison Books, at 424 Graham Ave. The vintage bookstore is near the former Hudson’s Bay building.
The bus stop across from her business has attracted potential customers; Peake believes it helped sustain her sales during “the last difficult years.”
She said the proposed revamp would remove the loading zone in front of her shop.
“Losing the loading zone would literally push me out of downtown,”
Aimee Peake, owner of Bison Books, poses for a portrait in front of her shop in Winnipeg on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022.
Next year, buses will cease operating on the street as part of the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan and city planners envision major changes to Graham.
In lieu of transit paths, the eastern portion of Graham is proposed to be a green space for pedestrians and cyclists. The middle stretch could be a “celebration zone,” designated for events such as Whiteout parties during a Jets’ playoff run, and food festivals.
The western area — where Bison Books resides — will allow for one lane of vehicular traffic, a lane of parking, and space for pedestrians and cyclists, the proposal submits.
Removing buses from Graham is likely sensible in the long run, Peake said, but the nearby residential population hasn’t fully grown yet, and vacant storefronts pockmark the street.
A bike lane won’t make up for the traffic lost by the proposed loading zone removal, Peake predicted.
Neighbour Dade Williams is skeptical people will want to visit Graham Avenue once the buses are gone.
“You’d have to have businesses that make people come from Portage Avenue over here,” Williams pondered. “I don’t think it’s going to be great for business.”
He stood outside Aluminum Sound, the shop he manages, with Ryan Marion.
“With the crime down here, it’s bad enough,” Marion stated. ‘They’re going to be taking away foot traffic from us, and then you have crime down here.”
Planners are focused on creating a safe space for all people, said Kate Fenske, chief executive of the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ.
The goal is to make Graham Avenue a “destination hub,” Fenske described.
“You might not necessarily know the business you’re going to go to, but you know you’re going to want to go to Graham.”
She envisions a number of shops, restaurants and bars would line the strip. Events on the street would be a major attraction, Fenske said.
The BIZ wants to mitigate businesses’ concerns “as fast as possible” with the city and ensure there are no unintended consequences, she relayed.
The proposal is still just that — a proposal, she noted. The plan is scheduled to be recommended to council this summer.
There’s room for adjustments, Fenske underscored. The city hasn’t approved funding for the plan. Fenske wasn’t sure how much money the redevelopment would cost.
Graham Avenue’s reimagining is part of CentrePlan 2050, to be the city’s guiding document on downtown revitalization.
Helen Kahsay, co-owner of Dan’s Cafe & Lounge, hopes more walk-up traffic will appear if the Graham strategy comes to fruition.
She called a removal of bus shelters along the road a “positive.”
Kate Fenske, CEO of Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, says the organization has budgeted more than $1.8 million for business development, advocacy and research for 2023, and another $1.7 million to clean, green and beautify the area.
Kristina Gottfried, a pedestrian who visits Graham Avenue for lunch, doesn’t feel safe with the buses around — “they can fly down here,” she said.
“I think, if you’re trying to bring people more downtown, (this) could be a way of doing it.”
However, the change will be a hassle for transit users, Francis Nnorom noted. He regularly buses along Graham Avenue.
He’ll have to travel further, to Portage Avenue, once the buses are rerouted.
The city’s open house regarding CentrePlan 2050 and Graham Avenue’s reimagining will take place at the Millennium Library on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The online survey is available on the city’s website.
The current public engagement measures come after two rounds of asking for feedback, beginning in 2022.
gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com
Gabrielle Piché
Reporter
Gabby is a big fan of people, writing and learning. She graduated from Red River College’s Creative Communications program in the spring of 2020.