George Street, in many ways, acts as downtown’s ‘character sanctuary’—a place where drinkers mingle with some of St. John’s finest. Certain notable characters immediately come to mind such as Money Man or Newfoundland’s top rapper Doc G. These individuals are known for their vibrant personalities, iconic gimmicks, and larger-than-life reputations.
However, a new character has appeared in recent weeks, pulling his rickshaw behind him. Will, who asked that his last name not be used for privacy, is a Memorial University student known as the “The Rickshaw Guy”, has a stranglehold on George Street’s bar hoppers.
According to New Canadian Media there are approximately 200 rickshaws across Canada. It seems that Will has cornered the market in St. John’s. Despite its prominence in cities such as Ottawa and Toronto, St. John’s has little rickshaw heritage.
Will works with the Halifax Rickshaw Collective, a company providing “transport-ainment” rickshaw rides in Halifax. The company announced on May 17 that Will, nicknamed “Big Red”, would be providing rickshaw services in St. John’s. Will’s arrival marks the first time rickshaws have been in St. John’s since the 1980s, according to it’s Instagram.
Will, a mechanic by trade, moved to St. John’s to attend Memorial University’s Business school. He is currently in his third-year of the program.
“I was a mechanic at first and decided to go back to school,” Will said. “No money in the mechanic business,” he added with a laugh.
Weekend nights downtown can be draining, especially for those working on George Street. That does not phase Will, though.
“Good workout, you know, get out and be social, good money, why not, right?” Will said in regards to his motivations for running his rickshaw.
Will also cited the excitement and buzz of George Street that has made his few weeks downtown special.
“The atmosphere is wicked,” Will said.
Summer nights on George Street can become chaotic, especially for those who are easily recognizable. Will says that despite the potential for issues, he has not had any problems so far.
“Honestly, pretty tame,” Will said. “I haven’t actually had a bad experience yet.”
Despite only working on George Street for a short period, Will has captured the attention of many—reigniting a cultural phenomenon that has been missing from downtown.
