Virtual reality demo envisions Portage and Main open to pedestrians

A Winnipeg man helped create a virtual reality experience to give people a sense of what it would be like to walk across Portage and Main as the city seeks input on how to redevelop the intersection.

The city held an open house Wednesday at 201 Portage Ave. to gather feedback on various proposed designs, none of which include an option to allow pedestrian access.

Tom Sinclair, an aspiring architecture student, came up with his own design and teamed up with virtual reality developer Fabio Hofnik to create the program.

"The [proposed] designs are interesting, but I don't think it would be fitting for the city," Sinclair said.

"The designs are just too bold out there and we need to make it more simple and easier for people."

Sinclair's design envisions crossings at three points. Pedestrian access on the east side of Main Street would remain blocked due to the high traffic volumes, Sinclair said.

One downtown resident who attended the open house agrees the city should open the intersection.

"I was at first opposed to taking down the barriers, but with some of the new ideas, I think it would be a great idea to take them down and make it easy access for pedestrians," said Don Wardrop, who has lived downtown since the 1980s.

The city launched the campaign, which includes an online survey, as part of its ongoing work to repair the intersection, which involves replacing the membrane under the street that protects the underground concourse. 

To do that, the barricades that have blocked pedestrian access must be removed, and the city is seeking ideas on what should replace them.

"We're really looking at a lot of ideas for how we can re-envision Portage and Main," said Kurtis Kowalke, principal planner for the City of Winnipeg.

"Some are quite bold and innovative, some are a little more conventional. And the point of this exercise today is to meet and talk with people, find out what ideas resonate with people and which ones don't."

People placed coloured stickers to indicate their feelings on each proposal — red meaning bad, yellow meaning OK, and green meaning good.

Most ideas drew mixed reactions, some positive and others negative. One idea that appeared to have widespread appeal, judging by the absence of red stickers, was a proposal to add light poles with canopies that could include vines and plants.

Another open house will be held Thursday in the underground concourse at Portage and Main.