Picnic tables, plants and ping pong coming to Graham Avenue as city reimagines former bus mall

CBC

4 hours ago

A stretch of downtown Winnipeg that rumbled with buses for three decades is about to transform into an urban playground with ping pong and picnic tables, art and lighting installations, street murals, new seating areas and a protected bike lane.
City officials and the Downtown Biz unveiled a new vision for Graham Avenue after Winnipeg Transit routes move north to Portage Avenue on June 29.
By mid-July, a four-block stretch of Graham "will be more colourful, more dynamic, more pedestrian-friendly," said Mayor Scott Gillingham at an announcement on the corner of Graham and Smith Street, next to the Millennium Library.
"And this is only the beginning."
The upcoming changes are part of a pilot project "toward a long-term vision in making Graham one of downtown's signature streets," Gillingham said.
As it evolves and matures, the new avenue will be a place to meet on a patio, attend a market, gather for events, read a book in the shade, and walk your dog, said Hazel Borys, the city's director of planning, property and development.
"Together, we're transforming Graham Avenue into a vibrant people-first destination."
The former Graham Avenue Transit Mall, a nine-block corridor between Vaughan and Main streets, has been primarily a bus thoroughfare since the summer of 1995, seeing some 1,800 buses and 100,000 transit users daily, according to the city.
The buses are being shifted away as part of the major overhaul of Winnipeg Transit's primary network, which is also part of CentrePlan 2050 to get more people living and visiting downtown.
Kate Fenske, CEO of Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, said the re-imagining of Graham "is really a perfect example of that vision in action."
It's about attracting people by creating a place to stay, rest, play and shop, she said.
"Having a vibrant downtown, more people here with things to do, will also improve safety."
Gillingham, Borys and Fenske called this a trial stage, where things will be offered to see what sticks, admitting they might not all work.
"We have permission to fail here. This is almost a blank canvas and we're gonna try some things, and if they don't work we'll move on to the next thing," Gillingham said.
Borys described it as "tactical urbanism" looking at short-term actions that could spark long-term change.
As a destination rather than a thoroughfare, Graham will provide easier access and connections to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn (former Hudson's Bay building), True North Square and Canada Life Centre, the Millennium Library and the many smaller businesses in the area "that benefit from a busy street life and maybe a little bit less of those big buses going by."
More art and activities will pop up through the summer, including the downtown farmer's market between the Manitoba Hydro building and Graham, a concert series, and festival space for the Canadian Elite Basketball League's 2025 championship weekend, Aug. 22-24.
"I encourage all of you, whether you live, work, study or visit downtown to be sure to add Graham Avenue to your list of things to check out this summer," Fenske said.
Rochelle Squires, CEO of CentreVenture Development Corp., said ideas like a pedestrian street in the heart of a city are a bold, visionary move to swim against the tide of suburban expansion and big box developments, and to rebuild from the ongoing detrimental effects of the pandemic.
"What we're starting on Graham Avenue will mark a turning point in how we envision, use and experience our downtown," she said.
"This is just the beginning."
The city has budgeted "up to $250,000" for the pilot project but funding for substantial changes, rather than simply pop-up events, is what Gillingham hopes can flow from the pilot experiment.
And Squires would like to see many of the surface parking lots ultimately become developments, like that of True North Square.
"Money follows vision," Gillingham said.