Lorne Avenue to go car-free for 3 days

A group representing several Brandon organizations is opening a downtown street for pedestrians and cyclists later this summer to promote active transportation.

The Open Streets Brandon committee is planning to close most of Lorne Avenue between Stanley and Rideau parks to vehicle traffic on July 19, Aug. 16 and Sept. 13.

“It might make a difference and turn people’s perceptions of what streets could be or open their eyes a little bit,” committee member Grant Hamilton said Friday.

“This is continuing to use the street as a way for transportation, but prioritizing people walking, biking, rolling, using strollers, skateboarding — anything that’s not a large motor vehicle and a little bit more human-centred,” Hamilton said.

The plan was presented by committee members at Monday’s city council meeting.

Apart from four important intersections on the stretch, the road will be closed to vehicle traffic from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the three days.

Lorne’s intersections with First and 10th streets will be completely open to traffic, while Sixth and 13th streets will be under “soft” closures, with supervision to make sure people cross the road safely, Hamilton said during the meeting.

Sustainable Brandon chair Madelyn Robinson told council that the organization plans to have activities for people at the two parks and along the route, including bouncy castles, face painting, booths, colouring and live music.

She said Lorne’s location between Victoria Avenue and the downtown means the route is a prime location for people to venture off to nearby businesses.

The initiative is also aligned with the city’s climate and strategic plans, Robinson said.

“This is a small but meaningful step to help our community understand that our streets can be more than just a place for cars.”

The initiative has been a success in other cities, but this is the first time it will happen in Brandon, Hamilton said.

Hamilton, who represents Bike Brandon and Brandon University on the committee, told the Sun that having more space for cyclists and pedestrians and having proper infrastructure in place give people a higher quality of life.

“The highlights for me would be convenience, affordability and choice,” he said. “So, it is a lot easier to pop out to the shop if you don’t need to find a parking spot.”

That choice to walk or bring a bike gives them more disposable income and is healthier, he said.

“Having the option to sometimes walk or sometimes bike can make a huge difference in your pocketbook.”

At Monday’s meeting, Coun. Kris Desjarlais (Ward 2) said he just came back from Canmore, Alta., and that town’s downtown is “fantastic,” with people walking alongside cars.

“It just got me thinking that it’s just a change of mindset, that that is something we could consider,” said Desjarlais, the city’s downtown councillor.

The outgoing councillor said it’s something Brandon might want to consider in the future, to which Hamilton immediately replied, “Endorsed.”

Coun. Bruce Luebke (Ward 6) asked about safety for pedestrians during the open street days. He said while driving earlier this week, a person riding a scooter flew by him in a 30-kilometre-an-hour zone.

Hamilton said he would like to see a lot of people on the street during the three afternoons, so that the route isn’t viewed as a thoroughfare.

“It should feel like a place with a lot of friction, so you don’t feel that you can go quickly,” he said, adding: “I know that doesn’t always slow down the speed demons.”

He said the street is also “super wide.”

Mayor Jeff Fawcett said he’s “looking quite forward” to the three days.

The city decades ago had earmarked Lorne Avenue as a “cycle route” with signs, he said, and this is not a bad way to “reintroduce” people to a concept that isn’t completely foreign to Brandonites.

“I really do look forward to seeing what kind of feedback we get. I always enjoy theses kinds of things,” the mayor said.

Hamilton said the initiative could lead to the city turning Lorne, or other streets, into more bike- and pedestrian-friendly corridors. He said it wouldn’t mean removing vehicles from the road completely, but maybe giving cyclists and pedestrians the right of way instead of cars and trucks.

“It turns it into a more livable place rather than a thoroughfare. So I think there’s definitely options. There’s other cities that have done it,” he said Friday.

“There’s so many options. We just need to experiment with a couple and see what works best in Brandon and what people in Brandon embrace,” he added. “Because right now all we know is roads are for cars and sidewalks are for pedestrians.”

The Open Streets Brandon committee also includes representatives from Downtown Biz, Prairie Mountain Health, the city and the accessibility community.

» alambert@brandonsun.com