If you've ever been to any larger city than Winnipeg, or indeed to any other busy intersection in Winnipeg, it's really clear that Team Closed obviously does not have a leg to stand on, if their arguments are pedestrian safety and congestion.
First of all, any concerns about pedestrian safety should probably be written off as concern trolling, considering that most of team-no live way out in the suburbs and most of team-yes neighbourhoods are in walking/biking distance to the intersection. Do you really think suburban motorists are so concerned about pedestrian safety, while actual pedestrians living downtown don't care about it?
Anyways the whole thing is so ridiculous because there's nothing at all special about this one intersection from a safety or congestion perspective.
Here's a CBC article listing the top 10 most busy intersections in the city. Two of them rank as more busy than P&M and every single one of them, aside from P&M, is open to pedestrians, at least partially. Even main "highway style" intersections like Sterlying Lyon and Kennaston allow pedestrians without the sky falling.