Mayor excited for ‘colourful, more dynamic, more pedestrian friendly’ Graham Avenue

Over the next three weeks, the city aims to breathe new life into a four-block stretch of Graham Avenue, with a bright new look, ping pong tables, street furniture and art.

As the Free Press reported last week, a pilot project will see Graham reserved for cyclists and pedestrians between Carlton and Garry streets, once a new primary transit network removes buses from the area on June 29.

On Monday, the city laid out its vision for the pilot, which is expected to continue at least until the end of summer.

“The buses will move off of Graham Avenue and in just three weeks … after that, we will completely transform this stretch of Graham,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham.

The city says roughly $750,000 has been committed to revamp Graham within and beyond the project so far, including funding from the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, some in-kind donations and $250,000 set aside by city council.

The initial pilot project additions will include street furniture, plants, picnic tables, ping pong tables, benches, art installations and access ramps.

The city also secured a Bloomberg Philanthropies Asphalt Art grant to fund the painting of street murals.

“When these changes are in place, Graham will be more colourful, more dynamic, more pedestrian-friendly. One more reason for people to visit, explore and enjoy our downtown,” said Gillingham.

The mayor said the pedestrian-centred idea is worth testing.

“Too often we can be a little afraid to give ourselves permission to fail. We have permission to fail here. This is a bit of almost a blank canvas, and we’re going to try some things, and if they don’t work, we’ll move on to the next thing. But I think a lot of what initially is being proposed is really exciting,” he said.

Hazel Borys, the city’s planning, property and development director, said the pilot project will help draw visitors to the area, moving toward a vision of filling it with “people and patios, economic activity, and life.”

Kate Fenske, chief executive officer of the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, said another change slated for Graham in the near future will add new lighting from Lights Unlimited.

“(This will be) adding vibrancy and … increasing public safety. These lights are going to shift colours and patterns throughout the year. From our signature downtown biz colours to full-on Whiteout mode when the Jets go to the playoffs … It’s incredible when we can see that the street is actually going to turn into a large piece of art,” said Fenske.

The new project should help revitalize Winnipeg’s downtown, said Rochelle Squires, chief executive officer of CentreVenture Development Corporation.

“Today’s announcement is yet another milestone. Winnipeg’s first signature pedestrian street. What we’re starting on Graham Avenue will mark a turning point in how we envision, use, and experience our downtown. Bold ideas like this have to start somewhere,” said Squires.

Karin Kliewer, a senior downtown planner with the city, said planning on how the street is used after the summer will start as soon as the pilot project changes are in place.

On Friday, businesses gave a mixed reaction to reserving part of Graham to pedestrians and cyclists only, with some fearing they will lose customers when buses are rerouted.

Fenske said the Downtown BIZ will monitor how the changes affect businesses, while BIZ ambassadors will touch base with visitors to Graham to help determine where they are coming from.

“We want to learn from that so we can develop that (long-term) plan for the street going forward,” she said.

The city also plans to add new protected bike lanes on Graham in areas where vehicles will still be allowed.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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