Portage and Main: A Frustrating Journey
It's no wonder it’s called the Portage and Main Circus. It is a poorly attended circus at that, because when a reporter using a walker finally managed to find his way down to the tunnels on Friday afternoon, the first thing he noticed was, there was no one there.
In 2018, almost 65 per cent of voters voted against reopening the above ground pedestrian crossing at Portage and Main. This statistic is misleading because while this was the choice of 65 per cent of voters, only 42 per cent of the population of Winnipeg voted. So, only 19 per cent of Winnipeggers voted to keep Portage and Main closed.
Anyone wanting to cross Portage and Main must continue to use the outdated underground tunnels built in the 1970s. This labyrinth of tunnels is confusing at best, but for people with reduced mobility, it is next to impossible.
The City of Winnipeg’s Accessibility Design Standards Third Edition, updated in 2018, layout a mandate, “To enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, … to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment…” This wasn't what the reporter experienced Friday afternoon in the tunnel under Portage and Main.
Outside 201 Portage Ave., the reporter couldn’t find the accessibility button for the door and the security guard had to open it for him. Once inside, there was no clear sign showing the right elevator to take down to the tunnel. “People who come in here don't know which elevator to take to go to the tunnels,” said Goran, a security guard in the building. “We have to show them where to go.”
In the tunnel, the reporter found multiple sets of stairs to navigate, and wheelchair lifts for people with reduced mobility. The lifts were tight, and at least one of them didn’t work properly. The reporter using a walker depended on someone else to push and hold the button from the outside to help him use that left to go down.
The City of Winnipeg’s Accessibility Design Standards 3.1.6. discourage the use of lifts because they segregate people with reduced mobility, take up a lot of space, and generally have push and hold buttons which reduce independence. The standards say elevators are preferable to lift and stairs. The tunnels have multiple escalators which are inaccessible to anyone using a wheelchair or mobility device.
In the tunnel, Susan, another pedestrian, told the reporter every time she sees a person with reduced mobility in the tunnels they complain about the poor accessibility. “They have to figure out a way to navigate the labyrinth,” she said.
With help, the reporter managed to cross from 201 Portage Ave. and take an elevator to the lobby of the Richardson Building. He was disoriented and stepped outside to see if he had in fact crossed the street. He then repeated the whole experience to get back to where he started. Manitoba Possible and the Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties have not yet provided comment but may follow up.