Police blame cruise night ‘grandstanders’ in Rivergrove for increased Sunday-night patrols

Police are stepping up traffic enforcement in a north Winnipeg neighbourhood after complaints about reckless driving, speeding and loud noise during large parking lot gatherings on Sunday nights.

Traffic and community support officers, who were out on Main Street in Rivergrove Sunday, are planning to return in the weeks ahead.

“The vast majority of people enjoying Sunday cruise night are doing it peacefully — they’re admiring classic and antique cars and imports, just generally nice vehicles — but you do get this small percentage that enter these crowds and start to grandstand,” Winnipeg Police Service traffic division Sgt. Kevin Johnson said Tuesday.

Local residents told the Free Press dozens of drivers gather in a commercial parking lot at the northeast corner of Main and Red River Boulevard some nights, although primarily on Sundays.

“When you start to get a large number of vehicles you get disruptions of the peace in the area, disturbances, and you get some grandstanders that tend to make excessive noise — revving their engines and spinning their tires — and then the area residents start to call us,” Johnson said.

Data related to traffic stops or tickets, if any, in the north Main area Sunday night were not yet available.

Johnson said police conducted a similar education and enforcement effort in response to gatherings in the Polo Park area earlier this summer.

“It’s a handful of really bad actors that really just make it undesirable for the neighbourhood.”– North Kildonan Coun. Jeff Browaty

The WPS has had a consistent presence on Sunday cruise-night corridors, including Main Street and Portage Avenue, for decades. Some specific locations are targeted from time to time in response to complaints.

Several residents and North Kildonan Coun. Jeff Browaty told the Free Press they welcome the increased police presence in Rivergrove.

“It’s a nice area. We enjoy living here, but it’s one of the reasons I would choose to leave, if we ever did,” Rachel Mamott, a Rivergrove resident for about 20 years, said of the driving-related noise and safety issues. “The noise is one thing, but I would hate to see someone get hurt.”

She said some of the issues have been going on for years despite complaints and the use of temporary barriers or private security guards in some parking lots.

Police said they’ve received reports of people being aggressive toward security or tampering with barriers.

“Between 9 and 10 p.m., the noise starts. They go peeling around in circles, and squealing their tires. It goes on until 1 a.m. sometimes. It’s ridiculous.”– Rivergrove resident Rachel Mamott

“Between 9 and 10 p.m., the noise starts. They go peeling around in circles, and squealing their tires,” Mamott said. “It goes on until 1 a.m. sometimes. It’s ridiculous.”

She said the last couple of Sundays have been quieter.

“Most of the kids are quite fine. When you ask them to quiet down, they do,” Mamott said. “They just don’t realize how much noise they make.”

A second resident, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, has lived in the neighbourhood for more than 35 years. She said the issues have become “progressively worse” each year.

“This one has been horrible,” she said. “I have the police non-emergency line on my speed dial, and will reach out to them if the racing goes on past midnight.”

The woman said she called police Saturday night, when she estimated more than 80 vehicles were in the lot at Main and Red River Boulevard.

One driver was doing doughnuts and “squealing like crazy.”

“The operator heard it over the phone, and the police helicopter circled about 10 minutes later,” the woman said. “Then a large convoy took place as they all left the parking lot. It was quiet after that.”

Private security guards and temporary barriers have been used to deter gatherings in a commercial parking lot at Portage Avenue and Westwood Drive in St. James.

Johnson said people who previously gathered in St. James appear to have migrated to north Main.

“We agree everyone should be able to enjoy their vehicles, but not at the expense of others’ peace and safety.”– Winnipeg police on social media

Browaty said excessive noise and reckless driving by some drivers have been a concern for quite a few years in the Rivergrove area.

“I don’t think people really care if, in a closed commercial parking lot on a Sunday night, they’re showing off their fancy cars, but it’s when they start, honestly, being jerks,” he said. “They rev engines, they speed off quickly to show off. It’s a handful of really bad actors that really just make it undesirable for the neighbourhood.”

The WPS used its social media channels to alert drivers and residents that officers were increasing enforcement starting Sunday night.

“We’ve heard from residents and property owners who are asking for quiet evenings and safe streets,” police said on social media. “We agree everyone should be able to enjoy their vehicles, but not at the expense of others’ peace and safety.”

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca