The City of the Selkirk is enhancing the unique character of Manitoba Avenue East. The Avenue (from Main Street to Eveline Street) will be reconstructed to include enhanced pedestrian and active transportation facilities, planters and additional street trees, seasonal patio locations, and two pocket parks complete with benches, public art, and activity space. In addition, one-way vehicle traffic will be converted to two-way vehicle traffic and angled parking will be changed to parallel parking. The reconstruction of Manitoba Avenue East will enhance the character of Manitoba Avenue, promote the area as a pedestrian and bicycle friendly destination, and improve the quality of public spaces along the street.
Updates
Update June 5, 2020: the north parking lot is now open for public parking. The contractor is done with the lane closures on Manitoba Avenue, but will be continuing with tree and shrub planting today and into next week. The parking lot beside the Selkirk Record will be closed to the public on Monday, June 8th and Tuesday, June 9th while the contractor is working in that area.
Update May 22, 2020: starting on Monday, May 25th and through to Wednesday, May 27th, the south side of Manitoba Avenue (east bound traffic) will be closed for those 3 days (open to westbound traffic only). Starting on Monday, June 1st and through to Wednesday, June 3rd, the north side of Manitoba Avenue (west bound traffic) will be closed for those 3 days (open to eastbound traffic only). There are some parking lot restrictions in place as contractors are working on the final phase of the project. It is expected that the project will be completed by the end of June 2020. The parking lot on the north side of Superior Avenue is open for public parking during this time.
Update May 19, 2019:
Work has continued for summer construction. Landscaping and re-pavement begin in the north and east parking lots.
Update November 12, 2019:
Construction halted due to weather. Some projects deferred to 2020. View the full public notice here
Update August 8, 2019:
See the pedestrian map for information on where to walk to access businesses on the south side of Manitoba Avenue while the sidewalk is being constructed (marked in red).
Update July 15, 2019:
See the Summer Newsletter for overall updates to the project and tips for navigating the area during construction.
Update July 10, 2019:
Construction began today
Land drainage sewer digging and connecting to continue through the week.
Update July 3, 2019:
Tender awarded and construction is expected to start on July 8th.
Update June 24, 2019:
The tender for the construction on Manitoba Avenue East closed on June 18th.
More information to follow once the tender documents have been reviewed.
Project Background
The City formed a stakeholder advisory committee in 2012. From there, ideas were generated, a vision was born, and this new re-design is the product of the work that has been done since then. The City is now working with WSP, an engineering and planning firm, to enhance the unique character of Manitoba Avenue East and improve the pedestrian and cycling environment.
Manitoba Avenue East has a small-town feel with pedestrian scaled commercial, office, residential, and institutional uses. Directing investment towards revitalizing Manitoba Avenue East can help establish Downtown Selkirk as a thriving pedestrian friendly destination.
Throughout the reconstruction project, WSP will work with the City of Selkirk to refine the current design concept for Manitoba Avenue East, meet with local landowners, business owners, and community residents to seek feedback, and provide on-site management during reconstruction of Manitoba Avenue East.
The reconstruction will take place June through October of 2019.
Project History
In 2016, the City of Selkirk adopted The Downtown Selkirk Renewal Strategy (2016-2021) (The Strategy). The Strategy provides a plan of action to help the City achieve its long-term vision for a vibrant downtown and includes the redevelopment of Manitoba Avenue East.
In 2017, the City applied for and received funding from the Province of Manitoba and Government of Canada under the Building Canada Plan for the reconstruction of Manitoba Avenue East. City Council adopted the design plan in June of 2018. The funding received from the Building Canada Plan is being used to finalize the design and reconstruction of Manitoba Avenue East.
Study Area Map
Timeline
Public Engagement
A public open house was held on Thursday, April 4th at the Gordon Howard Centre. Residents, business owners and users of the area were in attendance to ask questions and provide feedback on the upcoming project. Project team members and City staff were available to answer questions and listen to feedback.
Manitoba Avenue East Design & Features
North Pocket Park & Features
South Pocket Park & Features
Revised Design – May 16, 2019
After construction, there will be a net loss of approximately 5 parking spots total. The original design proposed a loss of 24 parking spots.
Original Design Presented April 4, 2019
For further project information please contact:
David Jopling, Public Engagement Lead, WSP
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 204-943-3178
If you would like to receive project updates, please subscribe to the City of Selkirk’s notification system (sign up on this page to the left) and you will be registered to receive periodic project updates by email.
Construction Activity
Future updates will be posted here
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
What is included in the design for Manitoba Avenue East?
The design for Manitoba Avenue East includes the following features:
- Enhanced pedestrian facilities (i.e. decorative paving, pedestrian scale lighting);
- Active transportation infrastructure (i.e. off-street bicycle lane);
- Landscaping features (i.e. planters, benches, two pocket parks, and suggested locations for public art);
- Landscaping and buffering of three City of Selkirk off-street parking lots;
- Converting one-way vehicle traffic to two-way vehicle traffic; and
- Converting angled parking to parallel parking.
Why is Manitoba Avenue East converting from a one-way street to a two-way street?
As a one-way street, Manitoba Avenue East directs traffic towards the Waterfront, limiting the connectivity potential with Main Street and Manitoba Avenue West. In addition, one-way traffic encourages higher traffic speeds, which negatively impacts the ability of the street to become a thriving pedestrian friendly destination street.
Will parking be impacted?
To provide additional space for pedestrians and cyclists, existing angled parking on both sides of Manitoba Avenue East will be converted to parallel parking. There will be approximately 45 parallel parking spaces on Manitoba Avenue East. In addition, there are approximately 256 parking spaces in six City owned off-street parking lots, all of which are within a two-minute walk or less to Manitoba Avenue East. The total net loss of parking spots following construction is approximately 5.
When will the work start and be completed?
The reconstruction of Manitoba Avenue East will be constructed from the end of June through October 2019. Project updates and the option to subscribe to updates by email are on this page.
Will Manitoba Avenue East be closed during construction? 
Construction work on Manitoba Avenue East will be staged in phases to ensure that traffic flow and access to businesses on Manitoba Avenue East is maintained throughout the project. Access will be maintained for as much as possible for vehicles, pedestrians, parking, and events. There will be a one-day scheduled closure in October for the final road surface work to be completed.
The project team will be working with business owners and landowners on Manitoba Avenue East to ensure that we understand how to best mitigate potential impacts to property use and/or business operations.
I’m a business owner and/or landowner on Manitoba Avenue East and am concerned that construction will impact my business operations/property use. 
The project team will be meeting with affected business owners and landowners on Manitoba Avenue East to understand how each business operates (i.e., parking and loading requirements, pedestrian access, hours of operations, etc.), listen to any potential concerns, and answer questions. This information will help the project team better understand concerns regarding how construction may impact a business’s operations/property use and will assist with solutions to mitigate these impacts. If you are a business owner or landowner on Manitoba Avenue East please contact David Jopling, Public Engagement Lead at [email protected].
How is this project funded? 
This project is a partnership project cost shared among the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada and City of Selkirk under the Building Canada Plan.