The Wrap: Vote to reopen Portage and Main, Dollar-store growth, homemade ‘weapon’ risk, and the Trans-Canada Highwaymen

Good evening. Here’s a look at what our newsroom has been working on today:

City council votes to reopen Portage and Main

A final vote of 11 to 3 by Winnipeg city council late Thursday means the intersection at Portage and Main will reopen to pedestrians and the underground concourse will close.

The vote comes after officials estimated it would cost $73 million and create traffic disruptions for up to five years to replace a leaking membrane under the street that protects the underground mall.

Mayor Scott Gillingham has repeatedly argued those factors make a clear case to close the concourse instead.

The motion instructs officials to prepare for the street-level reopening by July 1, 2025.

Joyanne Pursaga:

Council votes to reopen Portage and Main to pedestrians, close underground concourse

In the end, the final vote in a debate that has raged since 1979 wasn’t even close. Next year, after 46 years, pedestrians will once again cross Portage and Main at street level: city council Thurs... Read More

Three Savour Manitoba magazine covers promoting a food, drink, and lifestyle publication.

'They’re just like mushrooms'

In a period of high inflation, dollar stores have become a major draw for consumers who are trying to get the most bang for their limited bucks.

Dollarama, which boasts more than $5 billion in sales, has more than doubled its number of Manitoba stores over the past decade — and the chain (and its competitors) have aggressive expansion plans.

Opponents decry the cheapening of goods and increase in consumerism, but say the stores’ growth reflects today’s society.

Gabrielle Piché:

Bang for the buck, or downmarket dross?

While the record boom in dollar stores comes at time of high inflation and soaring costs, there are concerns about the retailers’ marketing of less-durable ‘throwaway’ goods and products more likely to contain harmful substances Read More

'When you apply it to a Popsicle stick, does that not diminish the seriousness of this policy?'

A Manitoba father is accusing school officials of misapplying safety policies after his son brought a toy made from Popsicle sticks to class.

The 13-year-old was reprimanded by school officials last month when a teacher caught him showing an “imitation weapon” to a friend.

Despite acknowledging the child, who has autism, poses no threat to his classmates, school officials initiated a violent threat assessment, which involves a parental interview and a review of the child’s social media presence, online search history and school work.

Tyler Searle:

Father refutes reaction to son’s Popsicle-stick ‘weapon’

School misapplied violent threat assessment over autistic boy’s homemade toy, dad says Read More

'We all grew up with the K-tel records'

None of the Trans-Canada Highwaymen are from Winnipeg, but their new album, Explosive Hits Vol. 1, owes a debt of gratitude to one of Winnipeg’s musical and business touchstones.

The audacious album cover might as well be torn from an old business plan by K-tel International, whose hit-filled compilation albums are almost as memorable as the songs on the records.

The Canadian supergroup — Steven Page (Barenaked Ladies), Moe Berg (The Pursuit of Happiness), Chris Murphy (Sloan) and Craig Northey (Odds) — will play CanCon classics and their own hits at Friday’s concert at the Club Regent Event Centre.

Alan Small:

Get your motor runnin’

Can-rock supergroup embraces K-tel spirit Read More