Downtown Buzz Can biking transform your


News from the Downtown Winnipeg Business Improvement Zone


life and our downtown? C


ycling in Winnipeg has come a long way in 10 years and has been a greater priority over the last two, pri- marily because of record investment in cycling in-


frastructure by our mayor and city hall. Tere is a better understanding of the importance of cycling in the day-to-day lives of people, in particular our downtown. For me, I love cycling and no doubt it has


defined who I am today, as it has for so many people. At the early age of around eight I discovered


my independence by simply jumping on the bike my parents bought me and exploring my neighbourhood on my own. At 12 years old, I discovered that you can go a long way on your bike. I explored other neighbourhoods and visited friends, often playing into the late hours of the evening before racing home and going to bed. Cycling provided me with more independ-


As I got older I discovered I could go longer distances


and explore even more – from East St. Paul to Lockport and Selkirk to Old River Road. Still in adventure mode, cycling was becoming part of who I was. Cycling was becoming more than just a recreational thing and a mode of transportation, but was mor- phing into a sport I loved. In my late teens, I went to University of Win-


Downtown Stefano Grande


ence and more adventure. As with many kids, my bike was my best friend. At 15, I discovered that my bike was needed in order to make some cash, as it was the instrument getting me to my jobs, which included deliver- ing newspapers, cutting lawns and pumping gas. My bike was my wheels and my means to buy that special gadget I always wanted. Safety was always a concern for my parents, but somehow


I survived!


nipeg and worked at the Old Spaghetti Factory downtown. While I could have cycled there, it was too dangerous to ride down Henderson Highway. Biking to the bus stop and locking my bike and jumping on the bus was now the norm for my transportation, as my parents could not afford to buy a car for each of my three siblings. I relied on these two modes of transportation to get my first degree and earn cash to pay for some of my tuition. As I got older, I lived and worked downtown,


and my bike was my everything. I cycled downtown to work, to the Y, to Osborne Village


to grab some groceries, to head out to a pub, and more. Tere were no bike lines back then, barely any bike racks, and I became a master of urban cycling. What I saved on gas and car insurance, I spent on my mortgage payment for my condo and had lots left for food, drink and fashion! Biking became my escape from the day-to-day work


stress and my workout, which was often so hard to find time for during the work week.


I have a family with three boys now. Tey all have bikes,


and my passion for cycling has influenced them. I feel I have become a better father because of the time I spend with them biking and bonding over something we love and share. Today, I still bike to work two or three days a week during


the summer, and drag the bikes on almost every family vacation, discovering different places. Our city has come a long way in embracing cycling as


an essential means of transportation for people, and in understanding the importance of creating a safe environ- ment for cycling to flourish. Today our downtown business community understands


the importance of cycling and how it’s tied to the overall growth and sustainability of our downtown and city. Cycling attracts a younger workforce, which expects and wants to bike to work. A growing number of cycling con- sumers want bike racks in front of restaurants, and these racks are more valuable than the single consumer in a car taking up the single on-street parking spot. Whatever your reasons for riding, whether you ride for


recreation, fitness, transportation, sport or just for fun, if you enjoying riding a bike, then cycling is for you. We’re continuing to work with the city to create the infrastruc- ture needed, and we love working with organizations to celebrate cycling with events like June’s Bike Week Winnipeg. Stefano Grande is executive director of Downtown Win-


nipeg BIZ Downtown events for Summer


Ed Sheeran July 22, Bell MTS Place Ed Sheeran is returning to Winnipeg this


summer. Don’t miss the chance to see him live!


Manitoba Liquor & Lotter- ies Folklorama Kick-Off July 23, Memorial Park The Manitoba Liquor


& Lot teries Folklorama Kick-Off is a free event at Memorial Park on Satur- day, July 23rd from 4-10 p.m. It’s a great time for all, including a marketplace with interactive children’s act ivit ies, cultural and sporting demonstration, plus quench your thirst in our new international wine and beer garden


volunteer and leadership development that will benefit athletes and the broader com- munity for years to come.


Bruno Mars – Te 24K Magic World Tour August 2, Bell MTS Place The 24K Magic World


Tour is the third concert tour by American singer Bruno Mars, to support his album 24K Magic.


Folklorama August 6 - 19, Various Lo- cations Folklorama is the larg-


Ed Sheeran.


Nazareth July 28, Burton Cummings Teatre Nazareth is, without a doubt, the biggest


rock band to ever emerge from Scotland. Tese rock icons will make a stop at the Bur- ton Cummings Teatre on Friday, July 28th!


2017 Canada Summer Games July 28 – August 13, Various Locations Winnipeg, Manitoba will host the Canada


Summer Games July 28 – August 13, 2017. Featuring 16 sports, over 250 events and a major cultural festival, the 2017 Canada Games will welcome over 4,000 athletes and coaches and more than 20,000 visitors. Te Canada Games are this country’s largest multi-sport event for young athletes and in 2017 will celebrate their 50th anniver- sary and Canada’s 150th birthday. Te 2017 Canada Summer Games will leave a lasting legacy of new and enhanced sport facilities,


est and longest-running multicultural festival of its kind in the world, as deter- mined by the International Council of Organizations


of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts. Over 40 volunteer-run pavilions participate each year, showcasing unique cultures in venues throughout Winnipeg. Pavilions feature lively entertainment, cultural displays, warm hospitality and authentic ethnic cuisine. Ex- plore Folklorama this summer from August 6 – 19, 2017.


Winnipeg BBQ & Blues Festival August 11 - 12, Burton Cummings Teatre Te 6th annual 680 CJOB Winnipeg BBQ &


Blues Festival presented by Luxe Barbeque Company will take over Smith Street in front of the Burton Cummings Teatre Friday and Saturday, August 11 and 12, 2017 and will feature the best in international, national and local blues performers. Tis year’s event offers free admission to


the outdoor festival grounds and festival goers will enjoy enhanced food options that include several stations of world class barbeque, as well as food and product dem-


onstrations from Luxe Barbeque Company and Manitoba Pork.


Interstellar Rodeo August 18 – August 20, Te Forks Te Interstellar Rodeo is


an intimate, taste-making music festival which will be held for the third time in Winnipeg at Te Forks. With its stellar art ist ic line-ups, unique wine pairings and gourmet food trucks, Interstellar Ro- deo has quickly become a main summer staple of en- tertainment in Winnipeg.


Brad Paisley August 20, Bell MTS Place Enjoy Brad Paisley this summer with guests Chase Bryant and Lindsay Ell.


Bruno Mars.


Te Drop Zone August 22, Manitoba Hydro Place Te Drop Zone is an annual fundraising


event that sees upwards of 100 brave local superheroes raise funds and awareness by rappelling down the Manitoba Hydro Build- ing in support of 47,000+ children, youth and adults with disabilities. Te day’s events will include a Community


Zone with many sponsored and community activity tents with fun things to do and many giveaways. Come out and cheer on your local superheroes and support a great cause.


Te Phantom of the Opera August 23, Centennial Concert Hall Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new


production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s phe- nomenal musical success, Te Phantom of


downtownwinnipegbiz.com (204) 958-4640


info@downtownwinnipegbiz.com 426 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3C 0C9 10 Smart Biz www.smartbizwpg.com August 2017


the Opera, will come to Winnipeg as part of a brand new North American Tour. Critics are raving that this breathtaking production is bigger and better than ever before.


Ribfest 2017 August 25 - 27, Te Forks Ribfest 2017 is a family-


friendly event and will include music and enter- tainment, free children’s activity area, raffles and 50/50 draw, food and re- freshments and lots of fun! Ribfest 2017 aims to raise $20,000 to support two local Youth Projects in Winnipeg


Winnipeg Classic Rock- Fest


August 29, Shaw Park Te 1st Annual Winnipeg Classic Rock-


Fest takes over the field at Shaw Park August 29th, featuring Streetheart with special guests Honeymoon Suite, Harlequin, and Te Pumps & Orphan!


Rick Springfield August 30, Burton Cummings Teatre Rock superstar Rick Springfield has been


wooing audiences with his polished voice and leading-man looks ever since his rise to fame in the early '70s. More than four decades later, he looks and sounds as good as ever, treating fans to an unforgettable evening of solo performance and storytell- ing on his Stripped Down tour. Taking time between each song to relay the touching and humorous stories that inspired them, Springfield has proven that his talents as an entertainer extend well beyond his musical abilities.


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