City looks at closing troubled Portage and Main stairway

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This article was published 22/06/2023 (851 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A stairwell used by the public to enter the concourse under Portage and Main has become a regular place for people to relieve themselves and pester people for money.

A sanitation worker who was cleaning the stairwell, at the northeast corner of the intersection, Tuesday morning said he has to remove human excrement and litter with a broom and soap.

“They poop here, they pee here, they smoke inside this,” he said while cleaning the site at the northeast corner of the intersection.

He said he expected there would be more litter when he returned later in the day to clean up again.

An employee at the nearby Fairmont Hotel said if he can, he’ll avoid using the concourse after dark.

“If you’re going after, I would say 9 p.m. or 10 p,m., then that’s not safe,” he said.

While he said he’s witnessed bad behaviour in the stairwell, most people just ask for money and don’t pose a threat.

“Not all of them will be really bad or aggressive,” he said. “They’re just looking for spare money or change, that’s it.”

The City of Winnipeg is looking at demolishing the stairwell and working with staff of the nearby Richardson Building to open its concourse to the public during hours it would normally be closed.

On Tuesday, the property committee will discuss a recommendation that $1.65 million be paid to Richardson Centre Ltd. for the cost of removing the stairwell. It would conduct the work while constructing the adjacent Richardson Plaza.

An agreement would be signed to allow the public to access the concourse via the Richardson Building.

It’s not a new idea. In 2017, the idea was raised as part of a discussion to improve accessibility and safety. About $1.5 million was allotted for work on the concourse below 201 Portage Avenue, including removing the bunker in question.

The report notes the sidewalk may have to be re-excavated when the roof membrane over the concourse is replaced in future.

Committee chairperson Coun. Sherri Rollins said while she plans to support the idea, she is concerned about pedestrians having to rely on a private property to enter the public space.

“In this, too, are real public interest questions with respect to access agreements,” she said.

“Most Winnipeggers want to not have to rely on a private-sector access agreement to be able to access their city in a meaningful way.”

The concourse is open from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Until a way to cross Portage and Main at the ground level exists, Rollins said, the public stairwell is in dire need of refurbishing and called this “the most cost-efficient way of getting that job done.”

“It stinks, it doesn’t feel safe. This isn’t a way to design a city with bunkers,” she said. “It’s really past its prime.”

Mayor Scott Gillingham said he’s undecided and would wait to hear Tuesday’s discussion, but he called ensuring public access on par with what the city could provide “paramount” to his decision.

“Whether it’s through an access agreement with the property owner on that corner, or whether it’s through upgrading and maintaining that stairwell, we need to ensure that access is provided to the public,” he said.

— With files from Joyanne Pursaga

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca