Brandon Minute: Issue 117

Brandon Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Brandon politics

📅 This Week In Brandon: 📅

• A new commercial development valued between $2 million and $2.5 million is nearing completion on Lyndale Drive in Brandon's south end. Lyndale Plaza, under construction since last fall, is a three-unit building that will add about 9,500 square feet of office space to the local market. The project is roughly 85% complete and is expected to be finished by late August, with construction having progressed without major setbacks. The developer pointed to strong demand for commercial development near 18th Street, where the land is zoned commercial, and cited the location's access to Highway 10 and the bus route as key factors behind the investment. Unlike many new commercial projects geared toward retail or food services, the building has been designed exclusively for office use and can house a range of professional businesses. 
  
  
• The Brandon Police Service and the Winnipeg Police Service, with support from the Manitoba Criminal Intelligence Centre, ran a two-day joint enforcement operation targeting sexual exploitation in Brandon on June 12th and 13th. The operation, named Project Blockade, was aimed at disrupting both street-level and online exploitation and resulted in the arrest of 23 adult men for obtaining sexual services or communicating for that purpose. Half a dozen vehicles were seized under provincial legislation that allows police to impound motor vehicles used in prostitution-related offences, and all of those accused were released on undertakings. Brandon Police Service Inspector Dana McCallum said the priorities of the operation were to protect vulnerable people, reduce the demand that fuels prostitution-related offences, and hold offenders accountable. Police describe the effort as part of a broader, ongoing commitment by Manitoba law enforcement to combat sexual exploitation and human trafficking. 
  
  
• The Manitoba government has converted a Brandon intersection to an all-way stop and announced further safety measures at Provincial Trunk Highway 110 and Richmond Avenue, where a collision on May 27th killed a woman. The all-way stop took effect Tuesday as an interim step ahead of full traffic signal activation, with signals running in flashing red mode in all directions until they go live, which the Province expects sometime this summer once rail interconnection work is complete. A review concluded that traffic signals linked to the adjacent railway crossing would improve safety at the site. The Province is also lowering approach speeds on every leg of the intersection to 70 kilometers per hour, installing and enhancing rumble strips, and closing parallel turning lanes. Officials are reminding motorists to obey all traffic controls, reduce speed, and stay attentive at intersections. 
  
  
• A new public art project called Buzz Around Downtown will see 30 species of Manitoba bumblebees painted on buildings throughout downtown Brandon, timed to be completed for Pollinator Week from June 22nd to June 28th. The project is funded through the Downtown Outdoor Art Grant, which the Brandon Downtown BIZ runs with money from the City of Brandon and additional support from the Brandon and Area Community Foundation. Local artist Savannah Knopp will paint the murals, and 30 downtown businesses and organizations have each adopted a bee, turning the installation into a scavenger hunt that begins at Princess Park. Visitors will be able to pick up an educational brochure developed with Dr. Jennifer Mateer of Brandon University on the role pollinators play in the environment. Sherry Punak-Murphy, chair of Bee City Brandon, called the project an example of what can happen when local organizations, businesses, artists, and community partners come together. Organizers say the installation could later incorporate geocaching and other interactive elements.
  
  
• The Brandon Public Library is marking 80 years of libraries in the city with a free family event at the downtown branch at 710 Rosser Avenue. The celebration begins at 2:00 pm on Saturday, June 27th, and will feature face painting, storytime, a scavenger hunt, refreshments, and crafts. Juno Award-winning children's entertainer Al Simmons will perform at the event. The library will be closed earlier that day to prepare for the anniversary.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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