Other Manitoba and Saskatchewan Developments

[DavefromSt.Vital]

New hotel about to open in Rivers. Interesting that it went from foundation to full-on building in two days due to modular assembly:

https://ebrandon.ca/buzzpost.aspx?buzz_id=662

Holiday Inn Express Brandon on schedule for June opening. First IHG hotel in Manitoba outside of Winnipeg:

https://ebrandon.ca/buzzpost.aspx?buzz_id=661

[esquire]

^ Brandon seems a bit underserved with regard to hotels, particularly the 'in town' part away from the TCH. That Holiday Inn Express will probably be a busy place.

[DavefromSt.Vital]

I totally agree. Once you get away from the highway, the in-town chain competition consists of a Clarion (Choice), a Days Inn at the south end plus a Travelodge down in the valley (Wyndham), a Knights Inn (Red Lion) (scary - don't stay there) and local chains like Canad Inns and Victoria Inn.

Given the location across from the Keystone Centre, the HIX should do well.

[armorand93]

Originally Posted by DavefromSt.Vital

I totally agree. Once you get away from the highway, the in-town chain competition consists of a Clarion (Choice), a Days Inn at the south end plus a Travelodge down in the valley (Wyndham), a Knights Inn (Red Lion) (scary - don't stay there) and local chains like Canad Inns and Victoria Inn.

Given the location across from the Keystone Centre, the HIX should do well.

I'm curious though... why isn't the TCH strip more developed, being on one of Canadas major thoroughfares, and the only large city for a couple hundred miles (btwn Regina and Winnipeg)? I mean, it does have hotels and fast food... but I've always wondered why it hasn't turned out more like Red Deers "Gasoline Alley" with more restaurants, hotels, business and industry. Alot more than the TCH strip currently has.

[WildCake]

Originally Posted by armorand93

I'm curious though... why isn't the TCH strip more developed, being on one of Canadas major thoroughfares, and the only large city for a couple hundred miles (btwn Regina and Winnipeg)? I mean, it does have hotels and fast food... but I've always wondered why it hasn't turned out more like Red Deers "Gasoline Alley" with more restaurants, hotels, business and industry. Alot more than the TCH strip currently has.

Probably because the demand isn't there. While it is the largest city between Regina and Winnipeg, there's still Portage, Virden, and Moosimin that are fair sized towns. All these places also have a gas station or two and a couple of restaurants with typical roadside fare, and a Tim Hortons. Few people will wait and stretch out their drive before stopping for gas/food simply because Brandon is coming up, since there isn't really anything flashy that you couldn't get from the smaller towns.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by armorand93

I'm curious though... why isn't the TCH strip more developed, being on one of Canadas major thoroughfares, and the only large city for a couple hundred miles (btwn Regina and Winnipeg)? I mean, it does have hotels and fast food... but I've always wondered why it hasn't turned out more like Red Deers "Gasoline Alley" with more restaurants, hotels, business and industry. Alot more than the TCH strip currently has.

It seems obvious to me... given that Red Deer is basically the halfway point of a three hour drive between two large cities, the #2 sees several times the traffic of the TCH through Brandon. So it'll have more gas stations, fast food joints and what not.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by esquire

It seems obvious to me... given that Red Deer is basically the halfway point of a three hour drive between two large cities, the #2 sees several times the traffic of the TCH through Brandon. So it'll have more gas stations, fast food joints and what not.

3M people plus on the Alberta corridor vs 1M+ on the drive between Winnipeg and Regina

[Authentic_City]

Also, Red deer has a population of just over 100,000, while Brandon has about 50,000.

[Bdog]

Originally Posted by armorand93

I'm curious though... why isn't the TCH strip more developed, being on one of Canadas major thoroughfares, and the only large city for a couple hundred miles (btwn Regina and Winnipeg)? I mean, it does have hotels and fast food... but I've always wondered why it hasn't turned out more like Red Deers "Gasoline Alley" with more restaurants, hotels, business and industry. Alot more than the TCH strip currently has.

Well, there are plenty of gas stations, chain restaurants and hotels/motels along that Brandon strip of the TCH. What more are you expecting? A roadside Build-A-Bear Workshop?

[armorand93]

Originally Posted by Bdog

Well, there are plenty of gas stations, chain restaurants and hotels/motels along that Brandon strip of the TCH. What more are you expecting? A roadside Build-A-Bear Workshop?

I was just expecting more retail options, along with more manufacturing & agriculture-related businesses. And considering the recent new link of WestJet to the Airport just north of the highway... maybe more airport infrastructure? In terms of fast food... McDonalds is already there, but a few more fast food outlets would still be profitable with TCH, and give more people in Brandon potential employment - along with some more retail and industry as well.

Yeah, there might be 7x the cars in Gasoline Alley... but think about it:

- Largest city between Regina and Winnipeg
- TCH corridor, major traffic
- Airport just north of Brandon with WestJet service and room to expand
- Urban reserves
- Brandon publicly stating a willingness and ability to grow & expand
- Being the service centre of 70,000+ people (70% of Red Deers population)

If Pallister would get off his ass & push the issue of economic development... Brandon could reap in the benefits, much like Gasoline Alley does for Red Deer, or that recent developments have for Portage La Prairie. I see potential.

[armorand93]

Originally Posted by DavefromSt.Vital

New hotel about to open in Rivers. Interesting that it went from foundation to full-on building in two days due to modular assembly:

https://ebrandon.ca/buzzpost.aspx?buzz_id=662

The nearby Dragway in Wheatland, could sure use some more tourist infrastructure nearby... zoomed into Rivers and noticed the former airport. Could definitely use a boost.

[harls]

Originally Posted by armorand93

I was just expecting more retail options, along with more manufacturing & agriculture-related businesses. And considering the recent new link of WestJet to the Airport just north of the highway... maybe more airport infrastructure? In terms of fast food... McDonalds is already there, but a few more fast food outlets would still be profitable with TCH, and give more people in Brandon potential employment - along with some more retail and industry as well.

Yeah, there might be 7x the cars in Gasoline Alley... but think about it:

- Largest city between Regina and Winnipeg
- TCH corridor, major traffic
- Airport just north of Brandon with WestJet service and room to expand
- Urban reserves
- Brandon publicly stating a willingness and ability to grow & expand
- Being the service centre of 70,000+ people (70% of Red Deers population)

If Pallister would get off his ass & push the issue of economic development... Brandon could reap in the benefits, much like Gasoline Alley does for Red Deer, or that recent developments have for Portage La Prairie. I see potential.

The actual city limits just touch the trans-Canada for about a mile on both sides, most of which is developed. The rest is part of the RM. Perhaps that is why it isn't developed as much.

[EdwardTH]

Originally Posted by harls

The actual city limits just touch the trans-Canada for about a mile on both sides, most of which is developed. The rest is part of the RM. Perhaps that is why it isn't developed as much.

What would they develop there? There's already a Lakeview, Super 8, Comfort Inn, Motel 6, Best Western, Tim's, A&W, McD's, Quiznos, Subway, Boston Pizza. I suppose you could add a couple more family chain restaurants but is Brandon's whole economy really hinging on having a new Moxie's up by the highway? The actual city is 3km away and just passes by on a tangent, doesn't go through the city, the average Brandon resident has no reason to go up there unlike gasoline alley where you have to pass through it on the way in or out of town. I don't see how it would help Brandon to move development away from the actual urban area and out to the highway 3km away.

[drew]

With all due respect to armorand93, I don't think his random musings on this Brandon topic need to be debated to death.

Unless the TCH is closed for weather, there really is no particular reason to stop there. If you are traveling west from Winnipeg, 90% of drivers won't need gas. If you are traveling eastbound, you will have already eaten and fueled up in Regina or Moosimin.

We drive west a few times a year. Brandon is the quick breakfast stop on the way out, and maybe a last minute coffee or bathroom break on the way back. That's it.

I am not sure what Pallister has to do with anything, or why it needs to be compared to Red Deer.

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by drew

Brandon is the quick breakfast stop on the way out, and maybe a last minute coffee or bathroom break on the way back. That's it.

Don't forget the Labor Day weekend Bomber fans stopping at the McD's!

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by pspeid

Don't forget the Labor Day weekend Bomber fans stopping at the McD's!

Yeah and if there was also a Burger King there Brandon and the corridor would be twice as good!

But its all Pallisters fault!

[Spocket]

Yeah...uh, Pallister has what to do with any of this? I'm pretty sure that the party that was in power for over a decade before he took over would have more influence than him but what do I know?

As for why it's not developed...well, why would it be? It doesn't pass through the city and isn't any sort of commuter route for Brandon and area residents. It's not like Brandon is lacking room or anything to develop and frankly, the fact that there's anything there at all is the real surprise.

[Andy6]

You’d think there’d be some hesitation to develop pending a possible reconfiguration of the highway into an expressway, although it never seems to move forward.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Andy6

You’d think there’d be some hesitation to develop pending a possible reconfiguration of the highway into an expressway, although it never seems to move forward.

That was my thoughts too. MIT probably wouldn’t let any development happen unless and until TCH be turned into a freeway. In fact, it’s the same thing through Virden.

I love how none of you guys (Andy6 excepted) realized that.

[esquire]

I could have sworn that the conceptual plan for the TCH through Brandon involved building a new bypass around the bypass a little bit to the north. I guess the existing TCH is just too far gone with development to be properly freeway-ized.