Brandon, Manitoba

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City of Brandon, Manitoba
Nickname: 
The Wheat City
CountryCanada
ProvinceManitoba
RegionWestman
Incorporated1882
Government
 • City MayorDave Burgess
 • MLA Brandon WestRick Borotsik (PC)
 • MLA Brandon EastDrew Caldwell (NDP)
 • MP Brandon-SourisMerv Tweed (CON)
Area
 • City465.16 km2 (176.1 sq mi)
 • Urban
76.89 km2 (29.69 sq mi)
Elevation
409 m (1,343 ft)
Population
 (2006)
 • City41,511
 • Density539.9/km2 (1,398/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (Central (CDT))
Postal code
R7A-R7C
Area code204
WebsiteCity of Brandon

Brandon is a city in southwestern Manitoba, Canada. The surrounding area is often referred to as "Westman".

The city started as a major junction on the Canadian Pacific Railway, and the Assiniboine River and was then incorporated in 1882.

Brandon, the second largest city and service centre in Manitoba behind Winnipeg, is a major hub for the surrounding agricultural area, with a trading area population sometimes estimated between 70,000 and 100,000 people. Brandon's industry reflects its agricultural history; its major industries are related to agriculture and include fertilizer and hog processing plants, as well as retail and government services for the surrounding area of Westman. Brandon is also home to Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College.

Brandon's Army Reserve unit is 26th Field Artillery Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery and the Canadian warship HMCS Brandon was named after the city.

Politics

City Council

Current Councillors:

Former Mayors

Provincial Representatives

Brandon West

Brandon East

Federal Representatives

Education

Public schools in Brandon are governed by the Brandon School Division. The are a number of elementary and middle schools throughout the city. There are three highschools: Vincent Massey, Crocus Plains Regional School, and Neelin Highschool. Brandon is also home to two post-secondary institutions: Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College.

Sports

The Keystone Centre, home to many sporting events and the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba. In the background is a newly attached hotel by Canad Inns

Brandon is currently home to the following amateur sports teams:

The Keystone Center recently sold its naming rights to West man Communications Group. The Keystone Center is now known as the Westman Communication Group Place, which is the home of the Western Hockey Leagues Brandon Wheat Kings.

Brandon has hosted many curling events, including:

  • The Brier - the Canadian Men's Curling Championship in 1963 and 1982
  • The Scott Tournament of Hearts - the Canadian Women's Championship in 1993 and 2002
  • 1995 World Curling Championship - Men's and Women's Championship
  • 1997 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials - the first ever Canadian trials after curling became an official Olympic Sport

Brandon has held the Canada Games in year of 1979 Winter Games and 1997 Summer Games.

Recreational Facilities

  • Westman Communications Group Place/Keystone Centre (hockey, curling)
  • Sportsplex (indoor swimming pool, hockey)
  • Andrews Field (baseball)
  • Kinsmen Stadium (baseball, football)
  • Turtle Crossing (formerly Curran Park) (softball)
  • Simplot Millenium Park (baseball)
  • Optimist Soccer Park
  • Crocus Plains Field Hockey Pitch
  • Wheat City Curling Club
  • Riverview Curling Club
  • Thunderbird Bowl
  • Canada Games Rubgy Pitch
  • Queen Elizabeth Park (baseball, tennis)
  • Deer Ridge Golf Club
  • Glen Lea Golf Club
  • Northern Pines Golf Club
  • Sunnyside Golf & Country Club

Events and Exhibitions

  • The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba is a non-profit organization established in 1872, which is now housed at the city's extensive Keystone Centre complex. It hosts the
    • Royal Manitoba Winter Fair (March)
    • Manitoba Summer Fair (June)
    • Manitoba Livestock Expo (November)
  • AgDays - Canada's largest indoor Agricultural Trade Show and Program, and one of the premier shows of its kind in North America. Held in mid January each year at Brandon's Keystone Centre.
  • Brandon Folk Music and Arts Festival is a weekend event held annually in late July. The festival is held outdoors on the grounds of the Keystone Centre.

Media

Newspapers

  • Brandon has two regular local newspapers. The Brandon Sun is a daily paper, and the Wheat City Journal is a weekly paper. The Sun also produces two "community" editions that are distributed throughout Westman on Thursdays and Sundays.

Radio stations

FM

AM

Television stations

Web portals

Transportation

The Riverbank Discovery Centre
  • Taxi service is available from numerous local taxi companies.
  • The city of Brandon runs Brandon Transit, which provides daily bus service throughout the city. The system is comprised of 11 routes that operate only six days a week. (Monday to Saturday)
  • Brandon is serviced by the Brandon Airport, a municipal airport.
  • Brandon has a system of walking / bike trails throughout the city. The trails are paved and divided like roads for two-way traffic.

Music and the arts

  • Brandon hosts the Brandon Festival of the Arts every February and March. This festival is associate with the Manitoba Festival of the Arts, and participants regularly represent Brandon at the provincial level of the festival.
  • Brandon hosts the Brandon Jazz Festival. This non-competitive, education based festival brings in over 3500 participants from schools across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario, and the Northern USA. The 3-day festival hosts 20+ adjudicators and performers.
  • Brandon hosts an annual Folk Festival. Organized by the Brandon Folk Music and Arts Society, the Brandon Folk Festival takes place every summer 'under the trees' on the Keystone Center. The festival actively pursues local and regional talent. Notable past performers include Big Dave McLean, Murray Evans, Wally Landreth, Crash Test Dummies, Ben Sures, Hugo Torres, Papa Mambo, Scruj MacDhk, Swing Soniq, The Hummers, The Wyrd Sisters, Bill Bourne, Fred Eaglesmith, Harry Manx, Ellen Mcllwaine, Fred Penner, Wailin' Jennys, D Rangers and Bob Evans.
  • Brandon regularly hosts numerous musical and non-musical theatre productions every year. There are two local theatre companies (7 Ages Productions & Mecca Productions) that produce shows, and all three high schools (Vincent Massey High School, Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School, Neelin High School) each put on a yearly production.
  • Brandon University School of Music hosts an annual 'Pro Series'. Guest artists from across North America are brought in to Brandon to perform at the Lorne Watson Recital Hall. Past performers include Bob Brookmeyer, George Crumb, The Penderetski String Quartet, and Charles Rossen.
  • Brandon hosts the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba which hosts exhibitions from artists both local and from across Canada.

City Issues

ACC Relocation to vacant Brandon Mental Health Centre (BMHC)

The Brandon Mental Health Centre is a picturesque group of buildings in the city's north end. The facility was abandoned in the 1990s as mental health services were moved from away from an institutional setting, and into the communities of the patients. The provincial government announced in 2005 that part or all of Assiniboine Community College (ACC) would move to the site.

Public Services Building

The city's Fire and Police Services both require newer facilities as their main buildings have grown too small for their current uses. There is an ongoing debate on the location of a new complex and whether or not the two services should share a location.

Downtown Revitalization

With most of the city's retail activity having moved to the major Eighteenth Street shopping centres, downtown renewal and the viability of the Business Improvement Area (BIA), a downtown development organization with taxation powers, became a larger concern. The BIA was disbanded in 2006, however, the future of the downtown is still under debate.

See also

External links

49°50′N 99°57′W / 49.833°N 99.950°W / 49.833; -99.950

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