Maintenance of active transportation routes in the Exchange District will be a little easier, now that the area’s Business Improvement Zone has a new bobcat tractor.

Exchange District BIZ executive director David Pensato says the city is responsible for clearing and maintaining sidewalks, bike lanes, and roads, but this will help take things to the next level.

"The issue right now is that the Exchange District is still Priority II with the snow-clearing schedule. I think it just hasn't quite caught up to the change in character, and all the new residents and foot traffic that we have," says Pensato.

According to the City of Winnipeg's website, Priority II streets generally include non-regional bus routes and collector streets based on traffic counts, with some exceptions. The city says some streets, sidewalks, and active transportation routes may be plowed on an accelerated basis, as well.

Pensato says the tractor will help with snow clearing of bike lanes and sidewalks in winter, and he says it will help year-round as well.

"Things like: we're going to be enhancing the bike lane on the east side of Bannatyne with some planters to separate the bike lane from the cars, to make it a little nicer. But we'll have to install and remove those seasonally, which they're pretty heavy to do with just guys picking them up."

Pensato says the bobcat tractor will also allow more graffiti removal in the winter, because they'll be able to haul paint around in the heated cab of the tractor.

Point Douglas councillor Mike Pagtakhan donated the tractor through a community grant. Pensato says the cost of maintenance and operation of the tractor is up to the BIZ.