Meet me on Barnard coming to end

This is the final weekend that a portion of Bernard Avenue in Kelowna will be closed to traffic.

At the end of business on Monday, which is the Labour Day holiday, the businesses will move their stuff back inside.

After the barricades are removed, it is set to reopen to traffic next Thursday.

“Meet me on Bernard made our downtown a great place to gather and enjoy pedestrian access to hundreds of local, independent businesses,” said Mayor Colin Basran in a brief video, which also outlines plans for the sidewalk seating program for the autumn.

The 10-week open street program has seen patios, public art, parklets and ample space for pedestrians along four blocks of Bernard leading to the waterfront for the duration of the summer.

“We know how important local, independent businesses are to our economy in Kelowna, and we’re proud to partner with the City of Kelowna on this innovative, member-centric initiative,” says Paulo Araujo, President of Valley First. “Communities make each other stronger through partnership— and when we can come together to support local business, it benefits us all.”