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Winnipeg Free Press

Future of the underground concourse weighs on biz owners' minds

Amid the fanfare surrounding the reopening of Portage Avenue and Main Street to pedestrians, questions remain about the future of the underground concourse and the businesses in it. The Portage and Main Circus has many shops and restaurants and is connected to a larger underground network downtown. The concourse has a leaky membrane that no longer protects it from above ground moisture. The cost of repairing it is estimated at $73 million, said Mayor Scott Gillingham. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Haley Yurman, brand and marketing leader for Empty Cup, holds up a sign reminding people that the business still exists in the Circus. Speaking to reporters after opening the street-level crossing, he stressed a decision has not yet been made over whether the circus will remain open or be fully or partially closed. City officials are awaiting for engineering reports and consultations with business owners, he said. 'The underground concourse will not close anytime soon. We are still doing some work related to that,' Gillingham said. The mayor said reintroducing pedestrian traffic to the intersection will not have a negative impact on the businesses below ground. 'There's still winter months coming… I believe that people will still frequent businesses below grade.' Kate Fenske, CEO of Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, echoed that sentiment. 'They have their long-term customers, and (the underground) is still a critical piece of infrastructure that allows connectivity,' She said. 'We've actually heard from workers and property owners, the businesses there, that it is so important it stays open… and I think there are going to be options to look at that.' Haley Yurman, brand and marketing leader at Empty Cup, said she's not concerned. The Winnipeg-based coffee shop has a location in the underground concourse. 'It's good for business to have more people out and about downtown,' she said. Yurman and her colleagues joined a crowd celebrating the reopening of the intersection. They carried signs that read 'Still brewing one level down' in large, capital letters. Harveer Chahal and Murtaza Mehdi were among the customers who stopped by the coffee shop as the crowd gathered above. Both men work in a high-rise linked to the underground circus and shop at the stores multiple times a week. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Business owner Eric Chi said he expects little impact to his business because most of his customers come from the buildings and companies attached to the underground mall. 'We don't really go outside,' Chahal said. 'We get our food, coffee, A&W sometimes, or sushi. It's much safer here, I'd say, compared to outside.' Wednesdays Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences. Business owner Eric Chi said he expects little impact to his business because most of his customers come from the buildings and companies attached to the underground mall. Chi has sold sushi and snacks from his store, Eshel Tree, in the underground for more than one year. He signed a five-year contract with the city, and was told at the time there was no immediate plan to close the concourse. Since then, rumours and speculation have been swirling among business owners in the underground concourse, as they await news on whether the city plans to keep it open or shut it for good, he said. 'Of course it's concerning, but I just want to know as soon as possible so that I can take my next step,' he said. 'Whichever decision (the city) makes, I support it. I'm not against the decision, my only hope is they decide something for the better, for the community,' he said. Tyler SearleReporter Tyler Searle is a multimedia producer who writes for the Free Press's city desk. A graduate of Red River College Polytechnic's creative communications program, he wrote for the Stonewall Teulon Tribune, Selkirk Record and Express Weekly News before joining the paper in 2022. Read more about Tyler. Every piece of reporting Tyler produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.