A major downtown street will look very different in the years ahead, and the city wants your feedback on what the final design should look like.
Graham Avenue is in the heart of Winnipeg’s downtown, but is considered a transit mall and is mainly reserved for transit buses, cyclists and pedestrians.
But beginning in 2025, bus routes will begin moving off Graham Avenue and on to Portage Avenue, according to the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan, and the city is hoping to take advantage of that.
As part of its CentrePlan 2050 to bring more people downtown, the city has completed a draft plan of the re-imagining of Graham Avenue which would focus on pedestrian uses and activities.
“The plan that the city is presenting has some key parts that are all tying up to the big theme,” said Downtown Winnipeg BIZ CEO Kate Fenske. “So greenspaces and really creating a place for people.”
The plan includes dividing Graham into three parts: Shared Zone, Celebration Zone, and Green Zone.
The Shared Zone would run from Vaughan Street to Carlton Street and would permit cars, but would also open more space to pedestrians, cyclists, and patios.
Carlton Street to Donald Street would be home to the Celebration Zone which would be a destination for street parties and festivals, such as the Winnipeg Jets Whiteout Party and the Downtown Farmers Market.
And the Green Zone would run from Donald Street to Fort Street, with significant space dedicated to trees, plantings, recreational amenities, and seatings.
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“If we want people to live downtown, we have to have green spaces for them to enjoy,” Fenske says.
An open house to go over the plan will be held Wednesday, May 15 at the Millennium Library from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., while a survey is asking for feedback can be accessed at winnipeg.ca/centreplan2050.
The draft plan for CentrePlan 2050 will be brought to City Council for approval in the months ahead.
Fenske says there is no funding in place for the project yet.
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