Car co-op partners with The Forks for vehicles at Railside development

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This article was published 25/10/2023 (685 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Peg City Car Co-op is earmarking a portion of its fleet for The Forks.

The carsharing organization will station five vehicles at Railside at The Forks, a mixed-use development planned to cover two parking lots in the area.

The partnership is the latest in a growing trend: new developments, particularly with residents, have been tapping Peg City Car Co-op for its services.

“We get requests all the time,” said William Belford, the company’s fleet manager.

Around 20 per cent of its station-based vehicles now have permanent homes at new developments like apartments.

Station-based vehicles — those with a fixed place for pick up and drop off — account for two-thirds of Peg City’s roughly 140 vehicles, Belford said.

Free-floating vehicles, which can be left anywhere within specific zones, make up the latter third.

“(It’s) certainly the way of the future,” commented Belford about the partnerships between Peg City Car Co-op and developers.

“It’s a really easy way for developers to lower their parking requirements,” he continued. “As an urbanist-minded company, our main priority is to lessen the impact of cars on the streets and make Winnipeg a more walkable… city.”

Railside at The Forks, which is planned to house up to 2,500 tenants, will incorporate many forms of transportation, noted Zach Peters, The Forks’ communications manager.

He listed bike paths and a potential rapid transit path as alternate options to cars. The Forks has a goal of zero carbon emissions; it calls its effort Target Zero.

Despite building on two large parking lots, there will be parking space at Railside at The Forks. Parking stalls will be incorporated into each build phase, Peters said.

“We see Railside as more of The Forks,” he added.

Meaning, the development’s ground floor will be filled with public shops, courtyards and alleyways. The vehicles Peg City Car Co-op stations at Railside will be available to all of the carshare’s members regardless of where they live, Peters stated.

Two of the Railside vehicles will be electric. The vehicles’ makes haven’t been finalized; they’ll be bought closer to Railside’s opening date, according to Belford.

Shovels will likely hit the ground on Railside early next year. Underground pre-work has begun.

“We’ve been working with The Forks behind the scenes for many years,” Belford said, adding he was excited to announce the partnership Wednesday.

Meantime, Peg City Car Co-op’s membership has grown. It hovers around 3,500 members, according to Belford.

Rates range from $4.50 to $30 monthly, plus fees of $3 to $7 per hour a vehicle is used.

Tenants of developments partnering with Peg City Car Co-op often get discounts on membership, Belford said.

Peg City Car Co-op will operate the vehicles at Railside; The Forks will pay the carshare organization a fee, according to Belford.

gabrielle.piches@winnipegfreepress.com