Meet me on Bernard – City of Kelowna

In the spring of 2020, the City of Kelowna made a decision to close four blocks of Bernard Avenue as part of the economic recovery tool to support local business and to increase the pedestrian realm, thereby allowing for expanded social distancing in the downtown core. Following the success of the 2020 Bernard Avenue road closure program, several City of Kelowna staff worked collaboratively with the Downtown Kelowna Association and Tourism Kelowna on a plan to once again temporarily close Bernard Avenue and introduced Meet me on Bernard (MMOB) for summer 2021.

Meet me on Bernard was launched from July 1st to September 6th to experience Kelowna's main street in a whole new way.  The roadway was closed to vehicle traffic, but open to pedestrians, patios, public art, performances, and more. It provided the opportunity for residents to get engaged with their community throughout the summer initiative while enjoying the extra space and atmosphere down on Bernard during the summer months.

The MMOB team included staff from all three organizations, City of Kelowna, Downtown Kelowna Association, and Tourism Kelowna.  City staff included Event Services, Recreation, Sponsorship & Advertising, Communications, Parks & Planning which met regularly throughout the months leading up to the event. Through work with a local agency the MMOB brand and signage kit was created and launched for the initiative, which will continue as work for MMOB 2022 is well underway.

The 2020 Bernard Avenue road closure that allowed for the patio extension program for local restaurants and businesses to expand their footprint attracted more than 800,000 visitors throughout the summer while allowing for expanded social distancing in the downtown core.

Throughout 2021, Meet me on Bernard attracted and engaged over 1,000,000+ people of all ages to take in our abundance of restaurants with delectable food, award-winning wines, craft beers and ciders, local shopping, museums, live entertainment, and culture.

In 2021, MMOB included the support of three City of Kelowna sponsors: Rogers Communications, Mission Group, and Valley First, a Division of First West Credit Union, among many other in-kind sponsors. Rogers Communications was secured as the Official Presenting Partner of Meet me on Bernard.

Guided by Council priorities of community safety, social & inclusivity, transportation & mobility, vibrant neighbourhoods, economic resiliency, and environmental protection, City staff collectively and proudly serve to help create a community where our residents are proud to call home. To flourish in the future, we recognize the need to be agile, resilient, and unafraid to do things differently. We also honor our rich heritage that contributes to our identity.
As servants of the community, we find pride in working alongside our residents and together have created a vision of ‘Imagine Kelowna’ which puts people first, values our history, encourages curiosity & creativity, and recognizes the changing roles of individuals, businesses, governments & community organizations. Our vision for an inclusive and sustainable future calls upon us all to embrace the challenges ahead and work together so our residents can benefit from enjoying a high quality of life.
The MMOB team with staff from all three organizations, City of Kelowna, Downtown Kelowna Association, and Tourism Kelowna are actively planning for Meet me on Bernard for summer 2022 and has been approved as an annual event for our community. The framework for this initiative is easily transferable to other communities and can be replicated and adapted to be successful for small towns to big cities.

Guided by Council priorities of community safety, social & inclusivity, transportation & mobility, vibrant neighbourhoods, economic resiliency, and environmental protection, City staff collectively and proudly serve to help create a community where our residents are proud to call home. To flourish in the future, we recognize the need to be agile, resilient, and unafraid to do things differently. We also honor our rich heritage that contributes to our identity.

As servants of the community, we find pride in working alongside our residents and together have created a vision of "Imagine Kelowna" which puts people first, values our history, encourages curiosity & creativity, and recognizes the changing roles of individuals, businesses, governments & community organizations. Our vision for an inclusive and sustainable future calls upon us all to embrace the challenges ahead and work together so our residents can benefit from enjoying a high quality of life.

The MMOB team with staff from all three organizations, City of Kelowna, Downtown Kelowna Association, and Tourism Kelowna are actively planning for Meet me on Bernard for summer 2022 and has been approved as an annual event for our community. The framework for this initiative is easily transferable to other communities and can be replicated and adapted to be successful for small towns to big cities.