Brandon University to host campus community conversations exploring downtown plans

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Brandon University will host a series of community conversations to explore plans and options for the downtown site with faculty, staff and students.

The first set of on-campus consultations have been scheduled for Tuesday, January 9 in the Louis Riel Room. Members of the BU community are invited to any of the three sessions scheduled that day:

  • 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
  • 12:40 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. (free slot)
  • 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

All three sessions will be the same. They will introduce the external expert team that has been guiding pre-development work on the downtown, discuss options that have been considered so far, and solicit further high-level feedback on possibilities for the site.

Brandon University’s downtown development will sit on a large parcel of land that totals nearly 70,000 square feet. This amount of space downtown opens up new opportunities to advance the University’s priorities as stated in the BU Academic Plan as well as the themes that have emerged from the new BU Campus Master Plan. It will be one of the most significant developments for the University and City in decades.

Most of the development will be devoted to new residential space, with both new-concept student residences as well as seniors’ housing being considered. Along with the residential component, the future downtown initiative will include academic and learning spaces, plus a service, retail and commercial component. The University is committed to creating a mixed-use development that will add value to the existing neighbourhood, bringing new amenities and vitality to the downtown core.

Following targeted consultations over the past few months, as well as open feedback through BrandonU.ca/Downtown, several possible opportunities have been identified. These options will be among the ideas explored at the community conversation sessions.

Further on-campus and wider community conversations about potential possibilities downtown are expected in the coming weeks. A full pre-development report is expected by the spring.

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