Residents in Brandon, Manitoba, will soon be able to walk, bike, or rollerblade along a car-free Lorne Avenue during three Sunday afternoons this summer. At its June 1 meeting, Brandon City Council heard about Open Streets Brandon, a pilot project that closes the street to vehicles between Rideau Park and Stanley Park on July 19, August 16, and September 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The route uses a section of Lorne Avenue that already forms part of the city’s Share the Road Bicycle Corridor, a 43-block shared roadway that stretches across Brandon from west to east. That corridor passes landmarks including the Brandon Regional Hospital, Brandon University, and four city parks.
The car-free events follow years of public input calling for more active transportation options. During a 2022 community engagement, residents asked for more bike lanes, paths that connect the whole city, and safer pedestrian infrastructure. The city has been moving on those priorities, including an application the council approved in December 2025 to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Municipal Fund for crosswalk improvements at Richmond Avenue and 22nd Street.
Open Streets Brandon gives residents a temporary space to be active without worrying about vehicle traffic. The route, anchored by Rideau Park and Stanley Park, invites families and individuals to explore the corridor in a new way. The pilot’s three dates are spread across the summer, giving people multiple chances to take part.
The initiative follows the council’s June 1 meeting presentation, where city staff outlined the plan. Brandon joins a growing list of Canadian communities testing car-free street events as a way to boost active living and neighbourhood connections.
